Black women have been pivotal in some of the most groundbreaking inventions and remarkable achievements in STEM. From the trailblazing Black women at NASA depicted in Hidden Figures to Sarah Boone’s invention of the ironing board, their contributions have been significant.
Despite their immense impact in STEM fields, Black women continue to face significant underrepresentation and wage disparities. While there is still much work to be done to create equitable environments in these fields, Black women are not only succeeding but are also taking initiatives to inspire future generations of Black girls in STEM.
Community and Representation
Nyamekye Wilson, the founder and Executive Director of Black Sisters in STEM, has dedicated her career to connecting Black women in STEM. Her personal experiences during her college years highlighted the necessity of fostering a supportive community for Black women pursuing careers in this domain.
After shifting away from her STEM major in college, Nyamekye Wilson established Black Sisters in STEM to empower young women through mentorship and community.
Having grown up in a STEM-oriented family, with her father and brother both in STEM fields, Wilson felt well-prepared for a career in this area. Yet, negative feedback affected her self-esteem. “I dealt with trauma and microaggressions that unraveled nearly two decades of support and belief,” she recalls.
A striking statistic reveals that 80% of undergraduates who abandon STEM majors do so by their sophomore year. Wilson herself dropped her math and finance major in her second year, but was re-energized by mentorship from senior students, inspiring her to establish Black Sisters in STEM.
Who Inspires You?
Dr. Arlyne Simon stands out as another influential figure in STEM. This biomedical engineer is renowned for her patented blood test that detects whether a cancer patient is rejecting a bone marrow transplant and is also the author of the Abby Invents children’s book series.
Dr. Arlyne Simon authors the Abby Invents series, which inspires young Black girls to engage with STEM.
While Dr. Simon has made significant strides in STEM, she acknowledges the influence of various role models in her life. “My father, a civil engineer, was one of my earliest inspirations,” she shares. “He always made engineering feel attainable by pointing out his projects as we drove around Dominica.”
In addition to family influences, Simon is particularly inspired by Marian Croak, the innovator behind Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology. “Her advancements have paved the way for platforms like Zoom and telehealth,” Simon states. “I greatly admire her contributions.”
Wilson draws inspiration from Katherine Johnson, one of the celebrated NASA Hidden Figures. “She embodied freedom and self-worth despite others’ perceptions,” Wilson reflects. “I find her story incredibly inspiring.”
Similar to many women in STEM, Wilson found motivation through the film Hidden Figures. She emphasized the scene where Johnson (as portrayed by Taraji P. Henson) solves a complex math problem, illuminating the misconception that Black women lack the intellectual capability for STEM. “That narrative is false,” Wilson passionately states.
Empowering Future Generations of Black Women in STEM
What makes the work of both Simon and Wilson exceptional is their dedication to nurturing future generations in STEM.
Alongside her engineering career, Simon’s children’s book series, Abby Invents, follows a young girl who experiments with inventions, encouraging young Black girls to explore STEM fields. The first installment highlights Abby’s journey as she tries to create unbreakable crayons.
Simon envisions an enriched future for STEM. “I hope for more hands-on, invention-based learning that enables children, especially girls, to view themselves as innovators from a young age,” she asserts.
Furthermore, Simon aspires to see more Black women rise in STEM, achieving better representation. “I want to see more women, first-generation students, and underrepresented minorities not just entering but thriving in leadership roles, research, and entrepreneurship,” she adds.
Meanwhile, Wilson focuses on cultivating a sense of community among college-aged women in STEM, empowering Black women to follow career paths in this field. Through her organization, Black Sisters in STEM, she connects young women with mentors and educational opportunities.
“In STEM industries, up to 80% of positions are acquired through referrals, which perpetuates the lack of Black women in the field, as they usually lack that network,” Wilson notes.
Her organization acts as a vital link to premier schools and companies, helping Black women in STEM forge connections and expand their professional networks.
“Our women are entering roles that position them in the top 10% of earning potential for Black women,” Wilson emphasizes. “We need to recognize the realities of STEM’s referral-centric economy and acknowledge what is actually required for entry.”
College students and mentors interested in joining the movement can explore more through the Black Sisters in STEM website.
