This summer would have marked the fourth year of the on-campus Girls into STEM residential, hosted by the School and College Liaison team and supported by the Ford Fund – a non-profit organization and the philanthropic arm of Ford Motor Company.
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the event was moved online and opened out nationally to Year 9, 10 and 11 students interested in learning more about STEM subjects. It aimed to demonstrate where STEM careers can lead, provide information about university life and give participants advice on choosing their future options.
In total, 400 of these students attended the online event. This is in comparison to 50 places usually available on the residential.
The event enabled students to watch a variety of taster sessions, including product design, architecture and engineering, and engage with guidance sessions, including an introduction to Higher Education, researching future options and planning next steps. There was also a chance for students to hear from successful women in STEM about their careers.
During the online event, students were invited to take a virtual tour of the campus, learn more about the LSU, take part in an online student life quiz and chat with current female STEM student ambassadors.
One teacher shared an email she had received from a student who took part. They said they had thoroughly enjoyed the day and one of the women who gave a talk happened to work at her father’s company. She shared that this had inspired her to look into a career in engineering.
Other students also gave fantastic feedback about how it had helped them discover their dream career of marine conservation and how the sessions had inspired them to work towards getting into university.
Marie Shaw, Senior Outreach Officer, School and College Liaison Team, said: “Having taken the activities online this year, we have been amazed by the level of interest in the event and the numbers of students around the UK who have benefitted from this. We hope we have inspired the girls and made them think about what STEM subjects they might like to study in the future.”
Debbie Chennells, Ford Fund Manager, Ford of Europe added: “I was so pleased that the Girls into STEM program was able to migrate online this year so students had the opportunity to research the possibilities open to them if they choose to study a STEM subject and hopefully to inspire them to broaden their future horizons.”
If you would like to find out more, or are a teacher who would like to register your interest in future online events, please email Marie Shaw on m.shaw3@lboro.ac.uk.