Reflections on two years teaching earth science at the women in science (wisci) steam camp

In 2018, UNESCO reported just under 30% of all science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) positions are filled by women. Despite increasing global demand for higher paying, highly technical STEM careers women continue to face substantial barriers to STEM. There are many obstacles wom-en may face throughout their journey to a STEM career, including lack of resources and role models, and discrimination. Studies show a near equivalent interest of boys and girls in STEM fields in early childhood; however, this ratio declines sharply through time due to various pressures girls and boys face. This compounds into considerably fewer women participating in STEAM careers. An increase in women in STEAM fields would not only increase economic activity, but would also provide a diverse perspective to develop and produce unique and innovative technology solutions. While solutions to these issues require substantial time and interventions, the Women in Science or "WiSci" STEAM camp, inclusive of the arts, was organized to try to address some of these issues. WiSci, organized by the United States Department of State and implemented by World Learning and the United Nations Foundation Girl Up program, supports young women on their journey to STEAM careers. Since 2015, Google, Intel, and others have delivered a hands-on, STEAM focused curriculum around the world. These events bring together high school girls from around the world, to expose them to STEM concepts and role models. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) participated at the camp in Malawi in 2017 and in Namibia in 2018 through the SERVIR program. SERVIR, meaning to serve in French and Spanish, is a joint NASA and USAID program that seeks to use state of the art science and technology to solve Earth's greatest challenges. This paper will provide an overview of the camps, the curriculum development, the materials NASA presented, the limitations, and the lessons learned from these important events. The NASA SERVIR team introduced hands-on Earth science applications to participants, with the objective of exposing and inspiring the girls to explore NASA Earth satellite data. The impact of the WiSci Namibia camp was assessed through the use of pre-, post-, and 6 months post-camp surveys. The results of those surveys indicated growth in confidence in the core components of the SERVIR curriculum: understanding computer skills, coding, and geospatial mapping. The surveys also indicated a high interest from all participants to choose a STEM career. The importance of exposure to the STEM workforce at a critical juncture in these young women's lives may play an important role in their career choices.