The STEM Gems Empowerment Bracelet: A Symbol of Confidence, Courage, and Community

The STEM Gems Empowerment Bracelet is the symbolic reminder I wish I’d had when I got a less-than-perfect score on a math test, when I struggled through my intro physics class in college, when I was too afraid to speak up out of fear of being judged by my peers, and when I was the only female in my work environment and the imposter syndrome settled in. It's a shimmering, supportive nudge to be confident, to raise your hand, to speak out, to speak up, to know that you are valued and never alone. Think of it as a super power bracelet—a beautiful and indelible symbol of unity and support, no matter the challenge or obstacle.

By |2018-03-27T17:05:30-04:00March 26th, 2018|Categories: STEM Gems|

Recipe for a ‘STEM Gem’: From Cookies to Copyright

My mother is, first and foremost, a rock star when it comes to baking chocolate chip cookies. She is also an environmental engineer with degrees in math and engineering. But her saving the planet isn’t the part I remember most when I was six. Today, when the buttery aroma of warm cocoa and vanilla fills my parents’ home, the scent puts me firmly inside a memory at our yellow Formica countertop, standing bare-footed on a chair in my pajamas, Mom inviting me into her world of chemistry: solid to liquid butter, dry measure versus wet measure, the transition of baking soda into carbon dioxide gas to make the cookies rise. Those days spent together in the kitchen had little to do with...

By |2018-01-31T16:29:44-05:00December 14th, 2016|Categories: STEM Gems|