WINS Encourages Girls to Pursue Science
WINS Encourages Girls to Pursue Science
By Delaney Duffy
“’What makes science interesting to you?’ ‘EVERYTHING.’”
That was the conclusion of a middle-schooler who attended Science Sisters Day, an annual event sponsored by Women in Science (WINS), to encourage girls to develop an interest in science and pursue an education in the sciences.
Every spring, WINS, a Loyola student-run organization, partners with Maywood schools to host a group of middle school girls for a day filled with learning about science. This year, co-presidents Lola Badmus and Suzanne Quinn spearheaded the effort to host 77 participants (the largest group in the program’s history) at Loyola’s Center for Translational Research and Education (CTRE). Working in research labs, WINS members guided these students through a variety of experiments – such as extracting DNA from strawberries to building micro bugs resembling bacteria, all with the purpose of getting these girls excited about science.
It’s not only the middle-schoolers who expand their interest in science. WINS Secretary Claudia Rose Keating, who is pursuing her MD/PhD, said joining WINS and experiencing Science Sisters Day has given her a new sense of enthusiasm for science.
“Seeing the middle schoolers and WINS members excited about science helps push me forward in my education,” she said.
U.S. Department of Education research shows how girls’ interest in science peaks sometime around middle school, before dropping off precipitously. Keating said that it is important for girls to stay engaged with science because women provide different perspectives that can help advance scientific discovery.
In addition to Science Sisters Day, WINS sponsors professional development events, social programs, and other outreach events. While Health Sciences Campus students comprise most of the members, any Loyola student, faculty, or staff member can join WINS. Loyola alumni Abby Cannon and Anya Nikolai founded WINS when they were pursuing their degrees. They wanted to develop a community within the Biomedical Sciences program to help foster girls’ interest in the sciences and provide an outlet for WINS members to take a break from rigorous academics and have some fun.
And having fun with science is what Science Sisters Day is all about.
Note: Learn more about WINS at its General Meeting on August 16, 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., CTRE152A. Questions? Email us, follow us on Instagram, or visit our website.
August 2023
By Delaney Duffy
“’What makes science interesting to you?’ ‘EVERYTHING.’”
That was the conclusion of a middle-schooler who attended Science Sisters Day, an annual event sponsored by Women in Science (WINS), to encourage girls to develop an interest in science and pursue an education in the sciences.
Every spring, WINS, a Loyola student-run organization, partners with Maywood schools to host a group of middle school girls for a day filled with learning about science. This year, co-presidents Lola Badmus and Suzanne Quinn spearheaded the effort to host 77 participants (the largest group in the program’s history) at Loyola’s Center for Translational Research and Education (CTRE). Working in research labs, WINS members guided these students through a variety of experiments – such as extracting DNA from strawberries to building micro bugs resembling bacteria, all with the purpose of getting these girls excited about science.
It’s not only the middle-schoolers who expand their interest in science. WINS Secretary Claudia Rose Keating, who is pursuing her MD/PhD, said joining WINS and experiencing Science Sisters Day has given her a new sense of enthusiasm for science.
“Seeing the middle schoolers and WINS members excited about science helps push me forward in my education,” she said.
U.S. Department of Education research shows how girls’ interest in science peaks sometime around middle school, before dropping off precipitously. Keating said that it is important for girls to stay engaged with science because women provide different perspectives that can help advance scientific discovery.
In addition to Science Sisters Day, WINS sponsors professional development events, social programs, and other outreach events. While Health Sciences Campus students comprise most of the members, any Loyola student, faculty, or staff member can join WINS. Loyola alumni Abby Cannon and Anya Nikolai founded WINS when they were pursuing their degrees. They wanted to develop a community within the Biomedical Sciences program to help foster girls’ interest in the sciences and provide an outlet for WINS members to take a break from rigorous academics and have some fun.
And having fun with science is what Science Sisters Day is all about.
Note: Learn more about WINS at its General Meeting on August 16, 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., CTRE152A. Questions? Email us, follow us on Instagram, or visit our website.
August 2023