STEMETTES AND THE AVANTOR FOUNDATION INTRODUCE STEM MENTORING SCHEME

Stemettes is delighted to be collaborating with the Avantor Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Avantor. The Avantor Foundation’s mission is to create a better world by advancing science education and providing healthcare to those in need.

Stemettes is a not-for-profit organisation that was created in 2013 to ensure girls, young women, and non-binary young people know that technical fields are options for them as career choice. It is experienced in running intersectional programmes, impactful events and inspirational content platforms.

The new initiative aims to inspire and teach young females, based in Ireland aged between 15-21, about STEM careers and opportunities. Stemettes will target low-income households, defined by levels of deprivation. The programme will be delivered digitally through a combination of online content and ongoing interactive events to engage a wide audience of young females. Alongside this work, they will deliver bespoke support with two cohorts of young women.

The programmes aim to create role models within Irish communities and schools by giving the opportunity to girls and non-binary students to be mentored and supported. This is being delivered through a number of interactions.

• An Avantor Summit took place on 13 November 2021. This was a one-day STEM Showcase highlighting role models across a schedule of workshops, panels and talks themed around STEM education and careers.

• On 5 February 2022, we held a one-day hackathon marking World Cancer Day to encourage participants to put their STEM knowledge into practice. Attendees worked with their peers to identify an issue concerning cancer research, diagnostics and possible treatments and design a product or business solution for it.

• On 5 March 2022 there was a panel event allowing participants to discover a wide set of STEM roles available, as well as the differing types of people working in them. They also had the opportunity to network with like-minded girls.
• Also in March, a selected group took part in the flagship Student to Stemette programme, giving them access to a personal mentor, career-building opportunities and a strong STEM network. Mentees will graduate in July 2022.
• On 9 June 2022 we will hold a briefing and speed matching event for people who wish to form a second cohort of mentees as part of the Stemettes flagship Student to Stemette programme. It will officially launch on 14 June and participants will graduate in October 2022.

Dr Anne-Marie Imafidon MBE, Co-founder and CEO of Stemettes said: Collaborating with the Avantor Foundation is allowing us to open up powerful & inspirational opportunities to the next generation of innovators across Ireland and the UK. I’m so excited to see how far the young people in these cohorts go – from solving some of our biggest challenges, to leading on biohealth in years to come! Diversity is much needed across the STEM sector and the Avantor Foundation is a part of leading the right kind of change. We’re excited to see Avantor employees role model across a number of interventions and reach those who won’t have met a positive STEM role model before.

Valerie Collado, President of the Avantor Foundation said: Avantor’s collective philanthropic work aims to create goodness that makes a positive, lasting impact on our society and planet – today and for future generations. We are honoured to support Stemettes as they advance science education. We look forward to celebrating the successes of the participants and advancing the diversity of future STEM professionals.