"BIG BANG THEORY" STAR MAYIM BIALIK AND HER PASSION FOR STEM EDUCATION
An All-Around Star, Mayim Bialik
Speaking of great mentors and role models, there is an exceptional role model among women in STEM. Big Bang Theory star and a favorite to many fans, Mayim Bialik is a well-known neuroscientist who has given several interviews about her passion for STEM work. She is particularly goal oriented about making certain that more women become involved in STEM careers. Recently, Ms. Bialik has given interviews about her personal experiences as a female in the male-dominant STEM arena as well as some valuable advice for females aspiring to become scientists.Mayim Bialik is a hands-on neuroscientist. She earned her Ph.D. in neuroscience in 2007 from the University of California, Los Angeles. She currently portrays the role of a quirky neurobiologist, Amy F. Fowler, on the hit show, The Big Bang Theory. She plays this role exceptionally well. For Mayim, art truly is imitating life now. Not only has she earned her Ph.D. in neuroscience, but she also puts her knowledge to action as a science teacher to students who receive home schooling.
Mayim Bialik recently completed a month of representing the National Her World initiative. This initiative drives a campaign to help educate high school female students about how to pursue opportunities in the STEM industries. Because women hold less than a quarter of all STEM jobs in today's corporate world, Ms. Bialik recently collaborated with well-known vocational college DeVry University for the National Her World campaign month. Her aim is to teach high school female students that they have the ability to make a difference in their future and the world through STEM careers. Ms. Bialik's affiliation with Her World is right up her alley, as Her World goes against the grain of the general perception that women are not meant for STEM careers.
Mayim Bialik and the Her World initiative provide young teenaged women with a catalyst for becoming involved in and experiencing the exciting world of STEM. Her World also draws high school girls to the awesome anecdotes of women who are successfully involved in STEM fields. Further, high school girls can connect with women from whom they can learn - women who are role models and are contributing to cause positive change in the world. They are the women who are also inspiring enthusiasm about STEM careers for the world's population of forward-thinking women. Why not move on now and take just some cursory glances at the up and coming world of STEM for women?
Mayim Bialik is so passionate about women becoming involved in STEM fields that she spent her hiatus from filming her popular television show to speak at the DeVry Her World New York City showcase event. More than 7,000 young high school female students took part in the same type of conventions across the country. The conventions hosted throughout the month of March, 2013 included hands-on endeavors, small workshops, and seminar lectures from notable women who work in STEM occupations. The goal was to impart information about STEM jobs and to provide positive role models such as Ms. Bialik. The attendees could then see themselves as the future generation of scientists, which is a great message to convey to the female masses.
Mayim Bialik's background is so interesting. Of her four grandparents, three of them were immigrants who arrived in New York many years ago. Her parents grew up in the Bronx and studied to become high school educators. Mayim was a young actor but left acting for a while to follow her educational dreams. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree and then a Ph.D. from UCLA majoring in Neuroscience. Education was and is a very important aspect of her life. This parallels her family's concentration on the importance of educational achievements.
STEM Careers Are Perfect For Many Females
Although it is true that men outnumber women in most STEM careers, this does not mean women should not go for it and pursue a S.T.E.M. occupation. It is a fact that a very small percentage of environmental scientists and chemical engineers are female. However, this simply does not mean it will be difficult for women to secure employment in these fields. In fact, countless organizations want to hire qualified females for STEM job opportunities.Seek Mentors
A natural segue from Mayim Bialik is to continue talking about positive Mentor relationships. Mentor relationships can be of great benefit to all women interested in STEM related occupations. There appear to be difficulties in finding mentors for women who are new to the STEM career fields. It is important that women have access to someone they can look up to and respect - someone who has been working in a STEM position for some length of time. A more seasoned female employee will have the ability to show a newcomer the ins and outs of a job as well as sing the praises of your accomplishments. This is actually important for anybody in any given career. However, it is significantly more necessary in for women in STEM careers because these women are not as likely to advocate for or endorse themselves.A possible solution for finding a mentor is to affiliate yourself with a professional organization, attend business mixers, and join associations for women who are in science (personally or online). A great organization is The Scientista, a full-service site for women who aspire to careers in STEM Education, science, technology, engineering, math, and medicine. Organizations represented by women in STEM usually always have mentoring and networking opportunities. Another couple of professional entities are WomenTechWord and the Institute for Women Trades, Technology, and Science, which translates to a great acronym as IWITTS.