Texas Border Business
McAllen, TX – The Texas Girls Collaborative Project announced the International Museum of Art & Science (IMAS) as a recipient of the 2021 Million Women Mentors® – Texas Stand Up for STEM Awards that recognize and elevate the work of incredible individuals and organizations in Texas advancing women and girls in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM).
The Texas Girls Collaborative Project, led by Women in STEM at The University of Texas at Austin, is a statewide network of non-profits, K-12 schools, higher education institutions, companies, organizations, and individuals committed to motivating and supporting women and girls to pursue and thrive in careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).
The International Museum of Art & Science (IMAS) was one of only two Texas organizations to receive the distinguished 2021 Million Women Mentors – Texas Stand Up for STEM Educational Organization Award. IMAS is recognized for its collaboration with McAllen Public Utility to create an online exhibit and video series to highlight women in STEM. This project was supported by a grant from the IF/THEN Initiative, on behalf of the Association of Science and Technology Centers. The main project goal was to enhance the representation of women scientists in the museum’s exhibits, website, lesson plans, and social media to inspire the next generation of STEM workforce. The year-long effort has produced the virtual exhibit “This is a STEMinist,” the interview series “RGV Women in STEM,” stronger representation of women on IMAS platforms, and more robust lesson plans that feature photos and information on actual scientists.
Project leader and IMAS Director of Education, Claudia Martinez Gray, expressed, “One area of impact from this project in particular was highlighting the variety of STEM careers. It was important to showcase the many opportunities in our area, so young women and girls can see they don’t have to go somewhere far away from their support systems to pursue their STEM dreams. They can give back to their community through the opportunities arising in this fast-growing region. I am very proud of what we’ve done so far with this project, and I look forward to continuing the RGV Women in STEM series alongside my collaborator Jessica Salinas.”
The awards are made possible by MWM-TX Stand Up for STEM Awards Presenting Partner, Cirrus Logic. The awards were presented on Friday, December 10, 2022, at the 5th annual Texas Women and Girls in STEM Summit hosted virtually by the Texas Girls Collaborative Project.
About Million Women Mentors – Texas (MWM-TX) and the Texas Girls Collaborative Project (TxGCP): Million Women Mentors (MWM) is the premier network dedicated to encouraging girls and women around the world to pursue, persist and succeed in STEM careers. Million Women Mentors connects local communities and girl-serving institutions to state leaders, corporations, and a national movement to build momentum and drive for local efforts. It is a national and global movement with local roots. The mission of the MWM network is to encourage girls and women to pursue, persist, and thrive in STEM careers. TxGCP leads MWM-TX. www.txgcp.org/million-women-mentors/
The Texas Girls Collaborative Project is a statewide network of non-profits, K-12 schools, higher education institutions, companies, organizations, and individuals committed to motivating and supporting women and girls to pursue and thrive in careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Led by Women in STEM (WiSTEM) at The University of Texas at Austin, TxGCP provides forums, curriculum, best practices, and resources to foster collaborations, build capacity of participating organizations, and create a state-wide network of informed and connected informal and formal STEM educators and advocates. www.txgcp.org
