Recognizing that the 2019 freshman class was predominantly comprised of male students, four seniors at High Technology High School in Lincroft geared this year’s Snacks With Scientists outreach event toward middle school girls.
The annual event, now in its seventh year, was held on Oct. 18 and seeks to encourage seventh and eighth grade girls in Monmouth County to explore science, technology, engineering and mathematice (STEM) related fields.
In previous years, the event was geared toward younger students. Female scientists in New Jersey are invited to speak to young women about the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
Studies show that if girls are not interested in STEM by the seventh or eighth grade, they are highly unlikely to pursue a career in STEM, according to the Snacks With Scientists website.
High Technology High School seniors Brianna Yao, 17, of Marlboro, Lyndon Puzon, 17, of Marlboro, Malik Javaid, 17, of Matawan, and Aruj Jain, 17, of Marlboro are officers in the National Honor Society who organized the event.
“These are local scientists we found in the area,” Malik said. “We have been doing this event for many years. We have had some past mentors come (each year). (The local scientists) really enjoy (this event) and want to be a part of it. The new scientists we (recruited) this year are parents or siblings of students who go to this school, or they are alumni.”
This year’s event attracted about 70 young participants.
The program featured Jessica Brescher, epidemiologist; Lynn Nelson, electrical engineer; Sirena Hsieh, orthodontist; Anoop Ahluwalia, mathematics professor/STEM dean at Brookdale Community College; Patricia McCrink, industrial engineer/operations researcher; Nathalie Darden, civil engineer/mathematics professor; Meeta Dube, business development; Ana Teodorescu, a mathematics professor at Brookdale; Vanya Jain, medicine; Gitanjali Kundu, biology/botany; and Mona Kripalani, pharmacist.
Malik explained there is a “STEM gap.” He said male students are more likely to go into STEM related fields. The annual program seeks to reverse that trend.
“We are trying to expose (young) girls to STEM,” Malik said. “We noticed this year that in our school, the freshman class is not equally guys and girls … We wanted to target seventh and eighth grade girls this year because (some) will be applying to (vocational high schools).
“We want to get (girls) interested in STEM and (take note) of what these female mentors around them have been doing. We just want to get (female students) excited (about STEM),” Malik said.
Malik said there are about 15 girls and 60 boys in the 2019 freshman class.
“The girls (attending Snacks With Scientists) are no different than these mentors who were just like them when they were in the seventh and eighth grade. They had goals and they achieved those goals. We are trying to expose (the seventh and eighth grade girls) to what they can do and what they possibly will do in the future,” Malik said.
Sarah Gross, the National Honor Society adviser and a teacher at High Technology High School, said Snacks With Scientists was initiated by former students who were inspired by their own experiences interacting with scientists at a conference.
“We told (the students) they have to run it if they want to do it,” Gross said. “(Students) have been running it each year. It is passed down each year to the National Honor Society and our ‘STEMinist’ club.
More info: http://www.hths.mcvsd.org/test-blog/2018/10/22/snacks-with-scientists-another-successful-event
