Stemettes will match participants with STEM mentors to encourage more young people to take up sci-tech careers.
UK-based non-profit Stemettes, which aims to encourage young women and non-binary people into STEM and STEAM careers, is running a mentorship programme for people in Ireland aged 15 to 21.
The programme will include a combination of online content and ongoing interactive events, and will see young people living in Ireland matched with highly qualified mentors working in STEM.
Stemettes is currently accepting applications for the programme, which runs from May to August 2022.
Founded in 2013, Stemettes was set up by British mathematician Dr Anne-Marie Imafidon. The organisation focuses on reaching girls and non-binary people through events and cohort programmes that rely on a ‘free, fun, food’ ethos. Stemettes has impacted more than 55,000 young people across the UK, Ireland and parts of Europe as of 2021.
It aims to encourage underrepresented groups into the sciences by increasing their exposure to those working in the industry. It runs programmes for children from ages five to teenagers and young adults.
Imafadion received an MBE in 2017 for her work with young women in the STEM industry. She set Stemettes up when she was in her early 20s, and spoke at Silicon Republic’s Inspirefest event in 2015 about her career and being a young woman in technology.
Stemettes launched an app in 2016 to connect with young people interested in its work and getting involved in STEM in general. It also runs a zine featuring the stories of people who work in science and technology to inspire young people to seek out STEM careers.
Stemettes’ latest mentorship programme is supported by the Avantor Foundation. The foundation is the philanthropic arm of Pennsylvania-headquartered chemicals and materials company Avantor, and supports organisations in the sciences, education and healthcare sectors.
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