Teenagers receive mentoring to draw their route as scientific women through the For Girls In Science program

As a child, the image that Arianis Encarnación He had a science professional was a man with a white coat. It was difficult to think of a woman in this field, because, many times, they are invisible in leadership positions or their contributions are relegated.

A year ago, however, the teenager began to see and learn from scientists through the program Triumphal seeds of the organization Puerto Rico Science (Sciencepr), who prepared it to be now part of the program “For Girls In Science”, That the entity manages, in collaboration with L’Oréal Caribeto promote the development and training of girls in disciplines Stem (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics).

“Not many times you think about all the scientists there are. It is very important that we have, from young people, that representation that there are scientists in science, and you can also achieve it … as well as seeing them in person, in front of you, that even more inspires you that you can achieve it”detailed the Canovanense, 14, who aspires to be a thoracic surgeon.

The group of 26 young people from higher schools throughout Puerto Rico met face -to -face this Saturday, marking the start of the fourth class of the “For Girls In Science” program, which seeks to create connections, develop skills and support in planning so that participants achieve successful careers in science.

The girls, from ninth to eleventh grade, are graduated from triumphal seeds, which seeks to take a look at intermediate school students of the amplitude of potential careers in Stem, as well as develop their leadership. At the end, they become “Stem ambassadors”, after carrying out a “outreach” (scope) project in its schools or communities.

For “For Girls in Science”, future scientists become mentors of the new triumph seed students. In turn, they receive professional mentoring to develop an individualized academic plan in which they explore their interests in Stem, to define the steps they must take to reach the academic program they aspire to.

This plan is not written in stone, because the interests of girls can change, but, in case it happens, they already have the experience to adjust it to their new goals, he explained Greetchen DíazExecutive SciencePR Director. They also attend them to identify support resources and that can increase them through “networking.”

“In part of the process, we make them think of who the people who support them are and who can help them in their goals. The idea with ‘For Girls in Science’ is that they increase their support group, including my mentor, to the same sciencepr, of L’Oréal. Who are the people that I can contact me to help me meet my goals?”Díaz considered.

In this second program, adolescents also participate in more advanced exercises, in terms of experimentation, particularly aimed at engineering design. For example, for their first face -to -face meeting, they had to design a prototype of a hand washing station, with homemade materials, in unconventional spaces, such as a park or a gas station.

“The good thing that they believe their prototype is that, no matter the career that they are going to follow, that is always a superbuena skill because it is to develop any product, no matter that the product is something that is not science, the processes are very similar,” said Díaz.

“For Girls in Science” is a program of L’Oréal Paris, which is present in France and Puerto Rico, to support the development of the next generations of scientists. For Liana CamachoVice President of Marketing of L’Oréal Caribe, this initiative is the “responsibility” of the company to support and boost girls in science.

“Creating communities between girls and women to know each other empowers, see that they have people to support them is crucial through all stages of life. In the age they are, starting with seeds and then for girls in science, they are critical ages for the self -esteem of these girls and future women, so that they understand that they have the potential … that, although something is a challenge, even if they have a challenge To achieve your goals “Camacho stressed.

As part of the program, girls are sought to have the skills to navigate the structural challenges they will face in their development as scientists and leaders for being women.

“We know and we are aware that we cannot put all the weight in them and that the problem does not have to solve them, but we want to ensure that they have tools and understanding.”Díaz said.

In the last classes of the program, they had had 20 girls per edition, but this year it was extended to 26, since the Amos Amaya Program of the Las Américas Plaza Foundation was joined. SciencePR follows up, for up to six years, to see the development of its triumphal seed participants, which includes the young women of “For Girls in Science”.