February 11th marks the International Day of Women and Girls in STEM - a day of encouragement, empowerment, and respect for women and young girls pursuing their passions in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
Today and every day, we honor the significant achievements of women in STEM at Curry College, both faculty and students, who have paved the way for future generations.
Equal representation starts with equal opportunity.
"The unequal participation of women in STEM has been longstanding and well-documented. In order to change that, we need to take steps to invite participation and ensure equitable access. Mentoring women in STEM is a strategy that works. I wouldn’t be where I am today without mentors to help me recognize my own potential and celebrate my successes. I want to be that mentor for more women in STEM."
-Dr. Jennifer McNally, Associate Professor, Science and Math
For Curry students, having female trailblazers in the STEM industry as mentors and role models is life-changing.
"I see myself having the biggest impact on women in STEM [at Curry] because I am leading other women by example. It is so important to have someone you can relate to and feel comfortable with to look up to as an example of what you can do."
"By not only being an example of a successful woman in science in a leadership position, but also sharing aspects of my personal life as they relate to my career—such as balancing family life and child care with work—I hope that I am providing a visible example of the challenges and joys I face that someday my students may face as well, and bringing awareness to things that aren't perfect as well."
-Dr. Emily Nowicki, Associate Professor, Department of Natural Sciences and Mathematics
Kelsey LaRose, a senior studying Biochemistry, credits her passion for science and math to the faculty at Curry.
“Growing up, I always loved science and found the subject fascinating. I started at Curry as a biology major and changed my major with the help of Dr. Marie Turner, who showed me the joys of chemistry," said LaRose. “I'm also grateful to Dr. Tracy Wang for helping me find joy in math. I struggled to learn and understand math in high school, but Dr. Wang makes math fun and easy to learn, and now I work on campus as a math tutor.”
Bridget Stevens, a senior majoring in Mathematics Education with a minor in STEM Education, was encouraged to get into STEM from professors Dr. Jennifer McNally and Dr. Laura Callis. "I first entered Curry College as an elementary education major, but after taking multiple mathematics courses with Dr. McNally and Dr. Callis, I discovered my passion for mathematics. I've learned so much from having them as professors and seeing them be strong, hardworking, knowledgeable figures in the STEM field." After graduation, Bridget hopes to be a middle school math teacher in addition to becoming dually certified in science to one day teach both subjects.
"Being a woman in STEM means having the confidence to go into a field that most people are scared of. Most people don't see the great things about these subjects. Having a passion for STEM is empowering."
Rachel Dumond, a 2021 graduate of the Biochemistry program, is currently studying at The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, a prestigious medical institution that admits roughly two percent of applications for approximately 140 students per class. During her undergraduate journey, Rachel always felt supported by the dedicated Science faculty at Curry. Rachel's ultimate goal is to become a physician to better serve her community through the attainment of true health and wellness.
"Curry's science faculty and the dedication they have for their students place Curry pre-meds on a pretty much equal playing field with students from bigger colleges. There was never a lack of support throughout my time when I needed help making decisions about things like summer internships or standardized testing logistics. I'm blessed to have an entire network of supporters that include my friends, family, and those close to me at Curry."
Natalie Couceiro, a senior studying Nursing, developed her love for science at an early age as an eager and curious adolescent. While her grandmother was in and out of the hospital, Natalie also developed a passion for nursing, and now aspires to be as caring, dedicated, and trustworthy as the team that cared for her loved one. Natalie hopes to one day become a pediatric oncology nurse to make a difference in young children's lives.
"To me, women in STEM are intelligent, talented, and powerful, and deserve to be appreciated. It's important to shine a light on women in STEM to empower and positively influence young girls to pursue a career in STEM."
For Jillian Higgins, president of the Tri-Beta Biological Honor Society and a senior studying Biochemistry, the welcoming and passionate professors at Curry were influential in her STEM journey. "Once I got to Curry and started taking classes within the STEM field, I noticed that every professor saw potential in their students and were very encouraging in and out of their classes." Jillian works most closely with Dr. Emily Nowicki, Assistant Professor of Science and Math, having served as her TA for one of her lab sections. Beyond that, Jillian has also been doing independent research with Dr. Nowicki, studying levels of gene expression in different types of growing media. "Dr. Nowicki is extremely patient, and when I have questions she is extremely helpful." Ultimately, Jillian would like to pursue a Master’s Degree in Forensic Science after graduation.
"Empowering women in STEM allows the women who are a part of this community to feel like they belong, even when some part of STEM make us feel like the opposite. The community here at Curry is welcoming, but in other STEM communities, that isn’t necessarily the case and empowering women who are in STEM helps to combat this feeling of being unwelcome."
Samantha Thomson, a sophomore Nursing major, Psychology and Women's and Gender Studies minor, and President of Feminists United, has always had a passion for biology and anatomy. To her, empowering and recognizing women and young girls in STEM is an important piece of breaking the gender stereotypes in the industry. "It's important to remember history and how far we have come, but also that there is still work to be done. Until all women and people in STEM are taken seriously and listened to, it is vital to keep uplifting and empowering women in STEM and young girls who hope to become women in STEM."
"Advice I would give to a young girl pursuing a career in STEM is to not give up. Keep pushing. Answer the question in class-you know that you're right. Have confidence in your abilities. You belong here just as much as anybody else."
"Have confidence in your abilities. You belong here just as much as anybody else."
For Dr. Maureen O'Shea, a Professor in the School of Nursing, having confidence in one's ability is crucial to making a difference in the workforce. "Having the confidence to speak up when you need to is quite a challenge at times, but worth doing."
"I think that whenever there is a power differential, it can be difficult to reach out to your mentor or supervisor for help because you feel like you're admitting weakness. I try to approach all of my students as peers, communicate with them that it's okay and it's actually encouraged to ask questions and make mistakes sometimes, and make myself available for their questions. I do let them know if they aren't on track or if they do make a mistake, but I also try to give clear praise when praise is due." - Dr. Emily Nowicki
Several of our female STEM faculty have accomplished incredible feats in the year 2021 as leading scholars, scientists, and trailblazers in their practice, including:
Dr. Laura Callis - Department of Science and Mathematics
Dr. Jennifer McNally - Department of Natural Sciences and Mathematics
Dr. Abigail Hafer - Department of Natural Science and Mathematics
Donna DelloIacono - School of Nursing
Joy Garmaise - School of Nursing
Dr. Michelle McMahon - School of Nursing
We've come a long way, but there is still work to be done.
"How we can improve is through continued awareness and attention to how people of different gender identities—or any identity, for that matter—are treated within a given environment," says Dr. Nowicki. "Another big area for improvement in the STEM fields but also just across the board for working women is finding better solutions for women to maintain both a career and a family. Paid parental leave, flexible working hours, and even just the willingness to have honest and open dialog in the workplace about family and childcare needs are so important. We as a society are not going to realize our true potential if brilliant minds are lost to STEM and other careers due to an inability to 'make it work' between career and family."
Moving Forward.
In 2019, the College hosted "Her Universe," a conference that invited high school junior girls to campus for a one-day program of workshops in computing/STEM. The College will again host this conference, newly named "Comput/Her @ Curry College," in support of women and girls in STEM on Friday, May 20th.
Comput/her is a one-day conference that invites young women to explore career opportunities in computing and data science. "While the history of computing and data science has a strong influence on women and women of color, in particular, the face of the modern profession is white and male," says Dr. Jennifer McNally. "This conference is intended to be a place for young women and those who support them to collaborate, learn about, and participate in computing, technology, and data science activities. Participants will hear inspirational stories from successful women in the field, be mentored by female college students and recent graduates, and participate in collaborative, hands-on, skill-building activities in a welcoming and supportive environment."