Women in Science and Engineering club members Alex Prassas (left), Kylee Burgess, Halie Bartlowe and Mariah Patton pose in front of a chalk board at The Mesquite Cafe on the Polytechnic campus. The club seeks to promote women in STEM fields. (Bridget Dowd/The State Press)
With over 1,000 registered student organizations at ASU, a few are bound to go unnoticed. With that in mind, reporter Bridget Dowd decided to reach out to ASU’s various locations and spotlight the diverse groups of our school. Whether you’re looking for a new club to join or are just interested in learning about unique student interests, this blog is right for you.
While plenty of men are majoring in or practicing in a science related field, a club on the Polytechnic campus emphasizes the importance of education for women and how they can market themselves in their careers. It’s called Women in Science and Engineering, or WISE, and its members maintain a mission to “guide, gather and advance” anyone they meet.
“I was just looking for a nice, supportive community of young women,” WISE President and biological science junior Mariah Patton said. “I was really looking to find a niche where I could connect with other women who had similar goals and a similar mindset.”
Patton said WISE is always finding new ways to reach out to the community, whether with fellow club members, professionals, kids or the larger community.
From company tours to conventions and workshops, WISE members share their passion for science by spreading awareness about the field and helping others achieve their career goals. The WISE website states that its goal is to “prepare the next generation of female technical professionals and leaders to take on the world's toughest problems."
Patton said the club often gets mistaken for a feminist club, but it is not about any feminist agenda and that boys are welcome to join.
“We all have the common goal to be the best we possibly can be,” Patton said. “We’re not just focused on helping ourselves; we’re focused on helping each other, our campus and the community.”
For example, WISE offers a K-12 outreach program where members give younger kids the opportunity to build something they think would be helpful in the world.
Secretary and biological science junior Alex Prassas said one of the students came up with the idea of a robot guide dog for people with allergies.
“I would have never even thought of that problem before,” Prassas said. “I learn more from them than I think they do from us and it really triggers your curiosity.”
She added why she thinks its important to promote women in this male-dominated industry.
“There’s a stigma on male and female dynamics,” Prassas said. “The only thing that’s really limiting you is yourself and no sort of social or gender stigmas should alter what you want to pursue, regardless of what it is.”
Patton agreed, adding that she loves to hear the kids talking about why science is important and how it can be fun at the same time. She hopes to go into the medical field and loves to see that same passion in others.
“I like science, because it’s always growing, and you're always learning something new,” Patton said. “Even when I finish medical school and residency, there’s still going to be changes in medicine.”
From résumés to job interviews to internship opportunities, Patton said WISE equips its members with networking and leadership skills that are important for their futures, but are not “explicitly taught in college”.
Freshmen general engineering majors Halie Bartlowe and Kylee Burgess joined WISE this year.
“We met and orientation and we were the only two girls signing up for engineering together and now we’re roommates,” Burgess said. “It’s an instant connection when you find another girl that wants to do that.”
Earlier in the year the girls participated in a ropes course which Barlowe said was a great example of how they boost each other up.
“It was a way to build up our trust with each other,” Barlowe said. “We were all cheering each other on.”
The club usually meets every other Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. and is looking to grow its membership, as many of its members are graduating soon. Patton urges any ASU student to try a meeting if they have any interest, regardless of their gender or major. For more information visit https://www.facebook.com/ASUWISE or contact Mariah Patton at mjpatto1@asu.edu.
Reach the reporter at bridget.dowd@asu.edu or follow @bridgetbernice on Twitter
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