IEEE Women in Engineering Magazine - December 2012 - 34

system and not see other women as
threatening to their own success.
Planning for future success is a common theme among the entire Girl Scouts
organization in 2012. This year marked
the 100th anniversary of the national
organization and part of the celebration
involves looking ahead to the next 100
years. The STEM initiative plays a big role
for the group, which is looking forward to
eventually rolling out programs to all 109
councils, based on the piloted programs
of the ten champions.
The Girl Scout s of Ea ster n
Massachusetts celebrated its own anniversary as a council earlier this year:
four years as a merged body of three
former councils. Bramson, who has
devoted a large part of her career to
organizational culture and specifically
the ability for women to reach their
potential in the workplace says, "I oversaw $5 billion and $6 billion mergers
in the corporate world-but merging
these three councils was more challenging." Though it took over a year
to move through the whole process,
she takes great pride in the organization, its team, and its mission. "I think
there's a really bright future for the Girl
Scouts," she states. "This is the best job
I've ever had. I get up in the morning
and say to myself, 'We're really making
a difference in the lives of these girls,
and they in turn will change society for
the better'."
-Leslie Prives

Explore, Invent, Imagine
Schmahl science motivates students
to get involved in STEM fields

b

Belinda Lowe-Schmahl, executive
director and chief executive officer of
Schmahl Science Workshops (SSWs),
is at the forefront of helping youth get
interested in science and technology.
Here's what she told us about SSW and
the impact it's having on today's youth.
Digital Object Identifier 10.1109/MWIE.2012.2215260
Date of publication: 1 November 2012

34

iEEE womEn in EnginEEring magazinE

What Is Schmahl Science?

and math, the United States may not be
Lowe-Schmahl began Schmahl
able to compete economically with
other nations in the future due
Science as many entrepreneurs
to insufficient investment
have over the years-in her
today in science, technology,
garage. In 1996, her four
engineering, and mathematchildren were asking for help
ics research and education.
with their science projects
SSW's mission is to preand in frustration she started
pare children of all backthe hands-on science workBelinda
grounds for a future in which
shops in her garage. Shortly
Lowe-Schmahl
science a nd technolog y
after, all the neighborhood
will drive every industry and vocation.
kids were joining in on the workshops
Schmahl Science puts the "sizzle" back
until they grew to 325 weekend workshop
into science education.
participants. Eventually the workshops
grew too big, with too many science supplies to store and too many children to
What Are the Benefits for
teach, so SSW moved to its current headStudents to Enroll in SSW?
quarters at History San Jose (HSJ) in CalBy enrolling in SSWs:
ifornia. HSJ contains the warehouse for
◗ Elementary students can be assured
the science supplies for over 600 workthat they meet, and more often
shops, a state of the art biological and
exceed, state science standards.
chemical laboratory, and the administra◗ As well as a love for science, all
tive staff. Teachers of SSW travel the Bay
students gain useful life skills such
Area in Alameda and San Mateo counties
as curiosity, collaboration, effort,
to 149 schools in 27 school districts to
responsibility, and respect.
teach over 600 workshops to more than
◗ Junior high and high school sci32,000 students yearly, an average of 26
ence teachers enhance their
times a year, for a total of 800,000 concurriculum with the "train the
tact hours.
trainer" coaching program.
SSW is a nonprofit partnership of
◗ Advanced Student Research Prostudents, parents, teachers, scientists,
gram (ASRP) attendees have a
and engineers who come together to
very high probability of becoming
foster the innate curiosity and love of
award-winning scientists. In 2011,
science that exists among children.
78 SSW students received awards
It provides pre-K through 12th grade
at the Synopsys Challenge.
children spanning all socio-economic
backgrounds wit h a n unmatched
Enrollment Details
breadth of hands-on science workshops
Visiting www.schmahlscience.org is the
covering biology, chemistry, earth
best way to obtain further information
science, forensics, math, and physics.
regarding SSW's programs and to enroll
SSW encourages Latinos, A frican
or learn how to encourage your school
Americans, and young women to pursue
to sign up for programs. SSW offers:
science and engineering careers.
◗ in-classroom programs
The need for quality science education
◗ after-school programs
is evident and imminent-studies done
◗ home-school programs
by the Lawrence Hall of Science and the
◗ Corporate Family Science Nights
University of California, Berkeley, (2007)
◗ "Bring Your Child to Work" days
show that the No Child Left Behind Act
◗ Ad va nc ed St udent Re se a rch
has decreased the amount of time mulProgram.
tisubject teachers spend on science to 60
min or less per week, with 16% of teachWhat Are SSW's Goals
ers spending no time at all on science.
for the Upcoming Year?
Moreover, the U.S. Department of Labor
SSW plans to scale its program to spereports that although 15-20 of the fastest
cific targeted counties in California.
growing occupations require science
Toward that end, SSW's goals are to

DECEMBER 2012
http://www.schmahlscience.org
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of IEEE Women in Engineering Magazine - December 2012
