The STEM Belle Lab Equipment Drive
Science is a practical subject and experimentation gives science its identity. However, in low income community schools, science laboratories are poorly equipped or non-existent, health and safety measures to conduct practical training are not in place and the few available STEM teachers are not well trained to deliver science practical lessons. Thus, students (especially girls) in these communities are not receiving the practical science education necessary for them to lead thriving careers in STEM.
Inadequate practical science education is an important burst in the pipeline leading to gender diversity in STEM, because students (especially girls) do not receive the practical science training and exposure necessary for them to be attracted, retained and advanced to thriving careers in STEM. However, The STEM Belle Lab Equipment Drive - #TSBLED, is a sustainable solution which will contribute to fixing the leaky pipeline of women in STEM and increase the number of students studying science in schools and joining STEM careers.
We are collecting equipment and laboratory personal protective equipment no longer needed from university laboratories across the world and putting them to quality use at high-need schools in economically disadvantaged communities. If you wish to replicate this project for your community, please send an email to thestembelle@gmail.com and we will be pleased to share our operational strategy document with you.
The #TSBLED promises to be beneficial on a multidimensional scale. For the students, our core beneficiaries, it will make science subjects more engaging and relevant thus leading to an improvement in academic achievement and providing a bridge to higher levels of learning. It also will lead to the development of basic research skills, as well as creativity, independence in critical thinking and problem solving all with a balanced approach to risks. The STEM teachers will also benefit through initial and continuing subject specialist trainings that will be provided. Environmentally, this strategy aims to recycle the use of lab equipment and hardwares thus reducing the amount of waste that gets shuttled off to landfills.
At The STEM Belle, our overarching goal is to close the gender gap in STEM fields in the most sustainable manner and The TSB Lab Equipment Drive is our unique and novel strategy to achieve this goal. There are multiple ways to be a part of the #TSBLED.
Preparations for #TSBLED are currently underway. If you would like to collaborate, partner or donate towards #TSBLED, please click here.
If you would like to download or share our #TSBLED mission document, please click below:
