Tech Trek
Tech Trek is a week-long science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) summer camp for rising eighth-grade girls. Through Tech Trek, girls are immersed in a world that empowers and encourages them to think about themselves as future scientists, engineers, mathematicians, and computer specialists. Visit our Tech Trek page to learn more.
Ready to Run™
AAUW of Alabama continues its participation with our program “Ready to RunTM,” aimed at training qualified Alabama women for leadership roles in government. Since 2008, over 200 women have participated in Ready to RunTM, and we continue to offer workshops throughout the state. Recent locations include Birmingham, Montgomery and Huntsville.
For more information about our program, including our upcoming workshops, click “Ready to Run“.
Pay Equity
AAUW of Alabama has been supporting efforts by our state legislators to establish an Equal Pay Commission in Alabama. This commission would evaluate the disparities in pay found between men and women and between minorities and non-minorities and then make recommendations to the legislature on ways to remove or eliminate those differences.
In 2011, we will be joining with Alabama Arise to lobby for passage of a bill to establish this commission, and we seek the support of all legislators and citizens who believe that this is an issue that is important to the people of Alabama.
STEM Careers for Women
Women are underrepresented in the higher paying fields of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). Without the equitable participation by women in STEM careers, our nation and state is missing out on the talent and contributions that women can provide to these fields, and women are missing the opportunity for higher paying jobs that can help to support their family and their future.
AAUW of Alabama and our national AAUW organization believes that young girls should be introduced to STEM careers at an early age, so that they can visualize themselves in the role of a scientist, engineer or technician. Then they can select the necessary coursework at an early age that will enable them to enroll in the classes they need to pursue their STEM career. Even if a young woman chooses to not work in a scientific field, she will have expanded her opportunities by enrolling in a more challenging curriculum.
Expanding Your Horizons (EYH) (http://www.expandingyourhorizons.org/) is a program that introduces middle school girls to careers in math and science through workshops that include speakers and hands-on science experiments. An EYH workshop was held in April 2010 in Huntsville at the Sci-Quest museum, and almost 1000 seventh grade girls participated. AAUW of Alabama is interested in encouraging the set up of additional EYH workshops (or something like it) in additional regions of our state, such as Birmingham, Mobile and the Montgomery-Tuskegee region. If there are any corporations or government agencies who are interested in providing resources or support for this, or if you would like to volunteer for a committee for one of these regions, please contact Jo Ann Cummings (joannc1972@charter.net) for more information.