Women make up nearly half of the U.S. workforce, but hold less than a
quarter of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) jobs,
according to the U.S. Dept. of Commerce. Project
Scientist, a nonprofit committed to exposing a diverse population of
young girls to a high-quality STEM academy, seeks to close this gender
gap.
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Representatives from Ingersoll Rand, Laura Jeffrey Academy, and the St. Paul Area Chamber of Commerce joined Project Scientist Founder and CEO Sandy Marshall at an April 17 ribbon cutting to commemorate the new summer STEM academy for girls held at Macalester College and made possible by a donation from Ingersoll Rand. Photo by Vince Woehrle.
Ingersoll
Rand, a global diversified manufacturing company employing thousands
in STEM fields, demonstrated its support for Project Scientist with a
$375,000 grant for summer STEM academies in three states. An April
ribbon cutting and check presentation at the newest site, Macalester
College in St. Paul, Minnesota, marked an expansion that Project
Scientist Founder and CEO Sandy Marshall hopes to continue nationally.
“When STEM companies like Ingersoll Rand support early intervention
programs like Project Scientist, it helps us make tremendous progress
toward gender parity in the next generation of STEM professionals,” said
Marshall, who founded Project Scientist in 2011 when she could find no
high-quality STEM programs for her daughter.
“Ingersoll Rand is committed to focusing on and supporting STEM and
early education experiences. Partnering with Project Scientist to bring
educators, STEM industry leaders and children together seemed like a
natural fit for us. It’s a great way to foster STEM education in the
young community,” commented Kevin Bollom, Vice President, North America
Building Services for Trane®, a brand of Ingersoll Rand.
In addition to providing financial support, STEM companies can host
expeditions in which students learn STEM skills and meet women in STEM
careers. Previous expedition sites include Virgin Orbit, SpaceX, JetBlue
and Trane®. “By bridging the educational and professional components of
STEM fields we can show young girls they can grow up to be scientists,
engineers, or anything they want,” said Marshall.
Project
Scientist holds summer STEM academies at universities in North
Carolina, California and Minnesota. Companies interested in helping
Project Scientist expand can contact Sandy Marshall, sandym@projectscientist.org.
About Project Scientist
Project
Scientist is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit committed to exposing a diverse
population of young girls to a high-quality STEM (science, technology,
engineering and mathematics) academy. By igniting confidence that race
and gender are never barriers to a STEM career, Project Scientist aims
to originate a diverse STEM talent pool by serving over 20,000 girls by
2022. Learn more at projectscientist.org.
About Ingersoll Rand
Ingersoll
Rand (NYSE:IR) advances the quality of life by creating comfortable,
sustainable and efficient environments. Our people and our family of
brands – including Club
Car®, Ingersoll
Rand®, Thermo
King® and Trane®
– work together to enhance the quality and comfort of air in homes and
buildings; transport and protect food and perishables; and increase
industrial productivity and efficiency. We are a global business
committed to a world of sustainable progress and enduring results. For
more information, visit ingersollrand.com.
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