STEM ResearcHER Newsletter: July 2025

Hope you all are having an amazing summer so far!

STEM ResearcHER is a 501c3 nonprofit organization working to bridge the gender and accessibility gap in STEM research fields through speaker workshops, mentorship programs, and other community events.

SIGN UP NOW for the Chicago STEMStravaganza!

Exciting News! STEM ResearcHER’s 2025 Chicago STEMstravaganza is happening on August 8th!

Join us for a day of hands-on STEM activities, networking, and inspiring talks from guest speakers at Salesforce Tower in Chicago, IL from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM CST.

This event is an incredible opportunity for girls interested in STEM to explore career options, connect with peers, and hear directly from accomplished women in the field. Through our interactive activities, you will be able to collaborate with other attendees while learning about STEM! Our guest speakers will also share their career journeys, provide valuable advice, and address any questions you may have.

Bonus perks: Lunch will be provided, and attendees will receive exclusive merchandise from top tech companies!

RSVP at the link below by AUGUST 1ST!

Space is limited. Don't miss out on this opportunity! We can’t wait to see you there!

Enter the STEMStravaganza Raffle by Refering a Friend!

Excited for STEMstravaganza? Make it even better by bringing a friend And earn a chance to win exclusive prizes in our STEMstravaganza Raffle!

When signing up, participants can let us know how they heard about the event. If your friend lists you as their referral, you’ll be entered into our raffle for a chance to win fun prizes from our partner tech companies!

Join Our Community Slack

Stay in the loop by joining our STEM ResearcHER Slack for updates, opportunities, and making connections.

By joining, you'll:

• Get consistent updates about events and programs

• Be the first to hear about opportunities

• Connect with like-minded individuals who share your interests

Follow our Instagram for Updates on All Things STEMResearcHER!

^ STEMResearcher December STEM Stravaganza!

General Volunteer Applications

STEM ResearcHER is currently accepting applications on a rolling basis for volunteers. We have positions on our marketing, sponsorships, and ambassadors team. If you’re interested in contributing to our mission and working with STEM ResearcHER, please consider applying with this link! Email us at [email protected] if you have any additional questions! 

Resources for Women in STEM

1. Girls Who Code
https://girlswhocode.com
A global nonprofit offering free coding clubs, summer immersion programs, and an online community for teen girls. Whether you're a beginner or have experience, you can build real-world projects and join a supportive sisterhood in tech.

2. EngineerGirl
https://www.engineergirl.org
Run by the National Academy of Engineering, EngineerGirl provides information about careers in engineering, student contests, Q&As with women engineers, and advice for students who want to explore the field.

3. NASA STEM for Students
https://stem.nasa.gov/students
NASA’s dedicated student portal features space science activities, career spotlights, internships, and design challenges created for middle and high school students.

4. Technovation Girls
https://technovationchallenge.org
A global tech education nonprofit that helps teen girls build mobile apps to solve problems in their communities. Teams receive mentorship and compete internationally—great for combining STEM and entrepreneurship.

5. Code with Klossy
https://www.codewithklossy.com
Free summer coding camps for teen girls and nonbinary students aged 13–18. Camps focus on web development, mobile app design, and leadership in tech.

6. The Stemette Society
https://stemettes.org
A UK-based network that welcomes girls and nonbinary teens into STEM through mentoring, events, and online panels. Open to international students interested in building a global network.

3 Scholarships for Highschool Girls in STEM

1. NCWIT Aspirations in Computing (AiC) Award
High school students (grades 9–12) who identify as female, genderqueer, or non-binary and demonstrate interest and achievement in computing can apply. Winners are recognized regionally and nationally, gaining access to awards, tech internships, and a supportive community. Over 25,000 students have received this honor since 2007 

2. Society of Women Engineers (SWE) Scholarships
Targeted at female high school seniors planning to enter engineering, SWE offers scholarships ranging from $1,000 to $15,000 per year. These awards support underrepresented groups in engineering and are renewable through college Inspirit AI.

3. Google Anita Borg Memorial Scholarship
Named after computing pioneer Anita Borg, this scholarship awards up to $10,000 to high school girls committed to studying computer science or closely related fields. It also includes the opportunity to attend a retreat with other recipients and Google engineers

Organization Spotlight

Techbridge Girls

Techbridge Girls, one of STEMResearcHER’s partners does amazing work to help reduce disparities in STEM.

Get Involved:

• Volunteer at a STEM Role Model Event
  Share your career journey and inspire girls by participating in panels or small group discussions.

• Lead a STEM Activity
  Facilitate a hands-on workshop in partnership with Techbridge Girls programming.

• Mentor a Student or Educator
  Provide ongoing encouragement, advice, and insight as a virtual or in-person mentor.

• Support a Program as a Corporate Partner
  Help expand Techbridge Girls' reach by funding programming and providing guest speakers or facility tours.

• Donate STEM Materials or Kits
  Help supply classrooms and afterschool sites with the materials they need to deliver engaging STEM experiences.

• Host a Field Trip or Site Visit
  Welcome students to your workplace to see STEM in action and explore potential careers.

• Fund Their Mission
  Every dollar goes toward increasing access and opportunity for girls in STEM.

Advice for Careers in Data Science

Shadow a Data Scientist or Analyst
Reach out to local tech companies, research labs, or university departments to see if you can observe a professional working in data analytics, machine learning, or business intelligence.

Attend Data Science Camps or Workshops
Look for summer programs such as:

• Data Science for All (DS4A) by Correlation One

• AI Scholars by Inspirit AI (Created by Stanford Alumni)

• Girls Who Code Summer Immersion Program

• Berkeley Data Science Discovery Program (for advanced high schoolers)

Build a Strong Academic Foundation

Focus on Math and Computer Science Courses
Prioritize classes like:

• Algebra and Statistics

• AP Computer Science or Intro to Programming

• AP Calculus or Pre-Calculus

• AP Statistics

Learn Programming Early
Start with Python or R—both are widely used in data science. Free resources like Codecademy, DataCamp, or Khan Academy are great places to begin.

Take Online Data Science Courses
Platforms like Coursera, edX, and Udemy offer beginner-friendly courses on data science, AI, and machine learning.

Get Involved

Participate in STEM Clubs and Competitions

• Join or start a coding, robotics, or data science club at your school.

• Compete in events like:

  • Data Science Bowl

  • Kaggle competitions

  • Science Olympiad - Data Science events

  • American Computer Science League (ACSL)

Volunteer with Data for Good Projects
Look for ways to contribute to nonprofits or student organizations that use data to solve real-world problems (e.g., Zooniverse or local community mapping projects).

Plan Ahead

Research Data Science College Programs
Look for schools offering:

• Data Science majors/minors

• Interdisciplinary options (e.g., Statistics + Computer Science)

• Research labs or student-run consulting groups

Understand Career Pathways
Common roles include:

• Data Analyst

• Data Scientist

• Machine Learning Engineer

• Business Intelligence Analyst

• Quantitative Researcher

Consider Related Fields
Explore how data science connects to:

• Healthcare

• Finance

• Marketing

• Environmental Science

• Public Policy

Additional Tips

• Talk to professionals in the field to learn about industry tools like Python, SQL, Tableau, and machine learning models.

• Build a portfolio with projects using real datasets (Kaggle, Google Dataset Search, etc.).

• Practice critical thinking and storytelling—data science is as much about asking the right questions as it is about crunching numbers.

• Stay updated with trends in AI, ethics, and technology through sites like Towards Data Science, Medium, or KDnuggets.Contact Us:

Email [email protected]

Or connect with us on social media!

@stemresearcher on Instagram
@stem.researcher on TikTok t
STEM ResearcHER on LinkedIn and Facebook