Women in Scholarship, Engineering, Science, and Technology (WISEST)

Women in Scholarship, Engineering, Science, & Technology (WISEST) focuses on creating effective programs to empower women (and other underrepresented groups) to pursue, impact, and succeed in the fields of science, engineering, and technology.

WISEST has over 40 years of creating awareness of and breaking down the barriers to diversity in science, engineering, and technology, and focuses on the following priorities:

• Engagement: providing hands-on experiences and outreach opportunities to challenge perceived perceptions.
• Education: promoting curiosity-based academic and career opportunities for participants.
• Application: equipping students to succeed through mentorship and role models.

Our Programs:

• Summer Research Program: Participants work as paid research assistants on a project in an area that is less-traditional for their gender for six weeks in July and August. Young women and non-binary students do research in the Faculties of Engineering and/or Science, and the young men are placed in the Faculty of Nursing and/or the Departments of Human Ecology and Nutrition.
• Choices Conference: Grade 6 girls and their teachers experience a day of hands-on activities in in science, engineering, and technology.
• SET Conference: A one day conference where high school girls in grades 10-12 engage in hands-on activities, meet role models, and discover diverse career paths in science, engineering, and technology.
• Networks: Two networks - WISER and UA-WiSE - for undergraduates, graduates, and early-career female professionals in science, engineering and technology.
• Volunteer: Variety of volunteer opportunities for students, past program participants, young professionals, and more.