Girls in STEM Executive Advisory Council
Microsponsorship on FIRST Teams
by Erica Rossi, FRC Team 5885 — The Villanova WiredCats Last month, the Girls in STEM Student Executive Advisory Council had a discussion pertaining to microaggression and how to counteract it with microsponsorship. Microsponsorship counters microaggression by recognizing and including people who might be overlooked due to their differences. But what does this really mean? From an early age we
Challenging Gender Stereotypes for Our Siblings
by Madison Vickery, FRC Student As a child I was always encouraged by my parents to step outside of the borders set for females and to pursue my interests; whatever they may be. My interests growing up revolved around STEM. My whole life I knew that I wanted to go into the engineering field, but it wasn’t until grade seven
Thank You, Dad!
by Jessica Kelso, FIRST Team 1305 — Ice Cubed For me, one of the most impactful people in my life has been my dad. As a 16-year-old girl on a robotics team and involved in other STEM-related activities, I believe that I stand out in my group of female friends because of my dad’s positive influence. The environment a girl
A Weekend to Remember
by Mehakdeep Khela, FRC Team 6387 — Discobots Canada On Saturday, May 28, 2017, FIRST Canada held a weekend for girls in FIRST. This weekend outlined struggles that girls face in the STEM fields and how to cope with these challenges. This weekend really helped me personally become stronger, realize my potential, and grow more resilient. There were many guest
Allies Advance Ideas and Innovation
by Kouthar Waled, FRC Team 772 — the Sabre Bytes Every year, there are more girls joining FIRST Robotics teams. There are still struggles, however, that females face when joining and participating in these teams. Females on teams are more likely to report not being taken seriously in discussions and when working on the robot, and are more likely not
Afghan Girls Team Wins Silver Medal
FIRST Robotics Canada Update on “courageous achievement” by Afghan Robotics Team Toronto, ON, (July 19, 2017) – A renown team of teenage girls from Afghanistan proudly accepted a silver medal for “courageous achievement” at the FIRST Global Challenge in Washington, DC. The all-girls robotics team attracted international attention after team members traveled 800 kilometers to the American Embassy in Kabul,
Dads for Daughters in STEM Campaign
The Girls in STEM Executive Advisory Council (GIS EAC), an initiative of FIRST Robotics Canada, is proud to present the Dads for Daughters in STEM campaign. The role of a father on a daughter’s confidence level and openness to pursue a STEM career, has shown to dramatically impact her mindset and choices. It’s critical for both men and women to realize inherent
Girls in STEM Executive Advisory Council – Interview with Bruce Wannamaker
Bruce Wannamaker is Vice President and Investment Counselor at RBC PH&N Investment Counsel. He’s also a supporter of FIRST Canada and a member of the Girls in STEM Executive Advisory Council. FIRST talked to Bruce about supporting females in STEM. FIRST Robotics Canada: How and why did your daughter get interested in STEM fields? Bruce: This is a great question and one that is hard to pin point.
The Math Guru – Vanessa Vakharia
FIRST Robotics Canada interviewed Vanessa Vakharia, The Math Guru, 2016 participant on Canada’s Smartest person, and one of today’s most notable young entrepreneurs. She had some very inspiring things to say about how she started to love MATH! FIRST Robotics Canada: How did you become The Math Guru? Vanessa: How did I become The Math Guru…what a question! Honestly, the truth is
Dads of Daughters in STEM – Interview with Dr. Elliott Coleshill
by Kim Cooper As part of the Girls in STEM Executive Advisory Council, I’m honoured to collaborate with a group of talented leaders—including Dr. Elliott Coleshill. After a few short minutes chatting with Dr. Coleshill, it was abundantly evident to me that this man has the background, knowledge, and experience that far surpasses even the notorious bearded man claimed to be the “most interesting man