Mentorship program connects girls to science

April 24, 2009

It simply isn’t cool for girls to be interested in science.

That is the thinking that a new mentorship program at the U of S is determined to overcome. Established by Julita Vassileva, professor of computer science and NSERC/Cameco Prairie Chair for Women in Science and Engineering, and the outreach office of the College of Engineering, My Wise Mentor is an email program that matches high school girls with either female university students who are studying science and engineering, or women already in established careers. Vassileva sees the target audience for the program as girls who feel isolated by their interest—“if they feel weird and geeky around their peers, they’ll have someone to talk to.”

She explained that girls get little exposure to the possibilities for science and engineering careers, and western popular culture has created a negative stereotype of scientists (think evil scientists in movies). The reality, she said, “is that these careers can be lucrative and prestigious.” Young women tend to gravitate toward life sciences, which they view as having the potential to improve the peoples’ lives. “They don’t perceive technology, which develops gadgets, which develops tools, as making people happier, but it does.”

The mentorship program is designed to provide motivation and encouragement to girls to continue their studies in math and science, and provide them with information and advice about careers. The commitment from volunteer mentors is expected to be about 15 minutes per week, she said. Including women already established in the work force in the program is important to ensuring girls “hear that you can combine family, children and a successful career in the profession.”

She said the My Wise Mentor program will focus largely on girls in northern Saskatchewan who have even less exposure to career information than those in urban centres. Women interested in participating can visit the program website—www.mywisementor.com—for more information.