A small not-for-profit social enterprise based in Northumberland in the UK is making a global impact on Inspiration and inclusion in STEM.
Founded by engineer, Alex Knight during the covid pandemic, STEMAZING is a micro business that has only recently employed a small team of three, but is proving to punch above its weight having run over 40,000 STEM experiments with young children in the last two years. thorough covid-inspired digital delivery of STEM sessions around the world. These are all led by women in STEM to make diverse role models more visible to young people.
“You can’t be what you can’t see. I am passionate about empowering women in STEM to be more confident visible role models and go on to inspire young” Alex said. “We need much greater levels of diversity and inclusion in STEM and particularly the E – engineering, as this is key for innovative solutions to our global challenges”.
There are currently only 16.5% women in engineering in the UK and one of the big barriers for girls choosing STEM careers is a lack of seeing people like them in these roles.
Stemazing runs a free programme for women in STEM to build their confidence and skills with public engagement then grow their STEM outreach toolbox and match them up with a school to deliver engaging STEM sessions with.
“The stemazing sessions are really fun and inspiring for our children. They absolutely love them and feel they are the highlight of the week!” A teacher from Glasgow Primary Academy told us.
Alex is able to run the enterprise on a shoestring from her home in Northumberland whilst reaching thousands of children with visible women in stem role models, as far as the outer Hebrides in Scotland to rural parts of Kenya and Ghana in Africa.
“I love the fact that women in our community have inspired so many primary school children in a short space of time, but the thing I am most proud of is the women that have grown their confidence through our programmes and are now more empowered in their day jobs too”
Next year Stemazing plan to grow their reach even further and with their scalable online model so if you know a woman in STEM or primary school – tell them about this free programme they can apply to join so they can be part of the change we all need to see in the STEM space.
