High school girls immersed themselves in the vast world of science, technology, engineering and math last week during the eighth STARS program.
The Pacific International Space Center for Exploration Systems, or PISCES, coordinated the STEM Aerospace Research Scholars program, also known as STARS, for 24 high school girls from across the state.
The University of Hawaii at Hilo hosted the girls as they took behind-the-scenes tours of science facilities, participated in hands-on workshops, and listened to talks from women working in STEM fields.
“STARS is an immersive experience aimed at inspiring young women to pursue STEM-related studies and careers by showing them what’s possible for their futures,” said STARS coordinator Chris Yoakum. “We aim to foster a supportive environment where students can explore their interests, connect with mentors and mentorship opportunities, and learn about what STEM careers are really like from women who work in them.”
Originally inspired by NASA’s summer programs for young women, STARS since 2014 has sought to improve gender equity and economic opportunities for young women interested in STEM careers in Hawaii.
According to a report by Million Women Mentors, women have a lower self-confidence in their STEM abilities even if they perform at the same achievement levels as males, which can undermine their interest in pursuing careers in those fields.
Maile Vickery-Mafi, 17, had never been part of a science program but applied for STARS to see what options were are available after high school.
“Going into my senior year, I really haven’t experienced any science programs, but STARS has been very informative and has brought me a new perspective of what my future can hold,” Vickery-Mafi said. “For a while, I always wanted to get a biology degree and go to dental school, but now being taught a lot about space has awakened my interest. I think there’s more options for me out there.”
Vickery-Mafi plans to take the opportunity in her final year of school at Kamehameha Schools Hawaii and participate in one of its many science programs.
Summer Schindel, 16, of Oahu has always known she wanted to pursue a career in architecture, but she said STARS has broadened her horizons and might lead her to somewhere like NASA for engineering.
“I applied for STARS for the opportunities and to learn more about aeronautics and astronomy,” Schindel said. “I’ve been into architecture for several years, and I still want to do it, but now I’m debating if I can go into aeronautical architecture to design and build spacecraft and structures.”
Schindel finished her first year of Castle High School’s engineering program and will be returning for her junior year. She also is planning to study chemistry and early college physics in her senior year.
On Wednesday, the women spent the day building and maneuvering Vex IQ Robotics at Starbase Hawaii in Keaau before returning to UH-Hilo to listen to guest speaker Lis Gallant, a volcanologist and assistant professor at UH-Hilo.
After Gallant spoke about her experience navigating the STEM field, she took the students outside to use ground-penetrating radar, which utilizes small radar pulses to detect objects and changes beneath the ground.
“When it comes to STEM, classroom learning and studying is important, but opportunities to apply knowledge through projects and connect with those further along in their careers can help guide students to what they want to do,” Yoakum said. “Students who attend the program say it influenced their future plans and careers.”
STARS is free for students and is made possible by grants, organizations supporting the program, and women in STEM who donate their time to participate and teach.
Longtime supporters include: Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope, ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center, Mokupapapa Discovery Center, NexTech Hawaii, Starbase Hawaii, Hawaii Science and Technology Museum, UH-Hilo, Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, and W.M. Keck Observatory.
“I would recommend the program to anyone thinking of doing science outside of high school,” Vickery-Mafi said.
“This program broadens horizons and puts into perspective what you can do specifically in science and engineering. If you think you may like it, or want to do STEM in the future, this program is great,” Schindel added. “The girls here are all amazing, and we’ve made some really good friends this week.”
For more information, visit pacificspacecenter.com/education/stars/.