FEMMES (Females Excelling More in Math, Engineering and Science) is a student-run educational and community outreach program that seeks to improve female participation in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) subjects. The centerpiece of the program is an annual, free-of-charge capstone event (held each spring) that invites Durham-area girls in 4th-6th grade to participate in science, math and engineering activities led by female Duke students, faculty and scientists. I founded FEMMES in 2005 as a sophomore in college, and the first full day program was held in the spring of 2006, with over 150 students in attendance. The program has continued to grow in scope and popularity, and 250 students attended FEMMES 2009. The FEMMES concept has been expanded to three after-school programs where FEMMES volunteers to teach science concepts to students through hands-on lessons and activities. FEMMES is also being expanded to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. For our annual capstone event, Duke University faculty members design and lead hands-on activities to expose FEMMES participants to different areas of study. The groups are kept small to maximize individual learning experiences and to create a comfortable environment for the girls to learn and ask questions. The real power of our program lies in the way we use female role models to demonstrate how women can excel in these fields. Thus, all of our program volunteers are women, including faculty members, graduate students, and undergraduates.

Women have long been underrepresented in the STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) fields; the disparities between men and women in the sciences underscore the need for outreach programs to engage young women in these fields. Today, women constitute nearly half of the U.S. work force, but account for only 25 percent of the science, engineering and technology work force, according to Sally Ride Science. Girls have reported that they desire interactive and engaging experiences in classes involving the STEM fields and without this, they find them "boring" as they consist of "facts to memorize.” However, outreach programs are often demonstration-based rather than hands-on. Also, outreach programs are often not designed to serve underprivileged communities. Many intervention programs cost money and require a chaperone to attend -- potential obstacles for parents who work weekends and evenings, have other children at home, or cannot spare the money. Durham families may face these potential obstacles, as Durham is an under-served community where many residents are at a socioeconomic disadvantage. In fact, out of 46 public schools, only 23 met expected academic growth standards in the 2006-07 school year. Consequently, female students who have the potential to succeed in STEM fields may not receive a sufficient chance to explore their potential. It is important to me that we reach out to as many girls as possible and provide consistent, long-term guidance during the critical 4th-6th grade years so we can empower them to break into fields that are typically male-dominated. The research we conducted on our capstone event indicates that our program has a positive impact on the girls’ knowledge of and confidence in math, engineering and science. We also have received substantial positive feedback from parents, teachers and the girls themselves. We are clearly making a difference, and it is important to me that we continue to expand FEMMES so that we can serve other underprivileged communities.

Plan of Action: 1) Capstone Event: We will continue hosting this event, with 2010 being the fifth year. Since the inception of FEMMES, participation has increased yearly and we hope to continue this trend. 2) After-School Program: We will continue our mentoring programs which are currently being held at three Durham schools. We will design more hands-on activities and compile them into a comprehensive publication to be used as curricula by all future FEMMES programs. 3) Summer Day Camp: We will organize a week-long summer day-camp, to be initiated in summer 2009. Participants will be recruited through connections with Durham public schools; female Duke undergraduates as well as high school students will serve as counselors; activities will be led by Duke faculty and student volunteers. 4) Research: We will continue our research protocol, which consists of participant surveys that assess our program’s effectiveness and will help us enhance our programming. 5) Expansion: We have developed a partnership with students at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and are in the process of helping them set up a FEMMES program. We hope to expand our outreach program to other universities as well. 6) Non-profit Status: We are working towards obtaining non-profit status in the hopes of founding a national organization. This will allow us to reach out to a more widespread population of young girls in underprivileged communities.

One of our big goals is to expand FEMMES to other universities. Consequently, we are looking for female college students who would be interested in starting a FEMMES chapter, and for faculty members who would serve as advisors and/or volunteers. Locally, we are hoping to expand our after-school program to more elementary schools in Durham, NC and Chapel Hill, NC. We would love to hear from principals and teachers who would be interested in working with us. We also need legal assistance as we apply for non-profit status in order to become a national organization. Our current budget does not have sufficient funds for this, so we are looking for someone who would be willing to donate their time and expertise.