http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wamc/local-wamc-848720.mp3
Albany, NY – Despite the hundreds of programs and millions of dollar devoted to increasing the numbers of women in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), studies indicate that in many science careers, the number of women has actually stayed the same, or in a few instances, dropped. Some organizations working to increase these numbers claim they are fighting an uphill battle against mass media and hormones. The Northwest Girls Collaborative Project (NWGCP) is a National Science Foundation funded project which brings together organizations in Washington and Oregon that are committed to informing and motivating girls to pursue careers in STEM. After eighteen months of sharing battle tactics and resources, the NWGCP recently held its culminating conference at the Microsoft Conference Center in Redmond, Washington. We were there to speak with the students, teachers and mentors who gathered to showcase what they have learned from this collaboration. Phyllis Fletcher reports.