Project SPARK: Private Sector Partnership to Kindle Young Women's Interest and Involvement in Science

认识到吸引妇女进入科学相关领域的问题， 职业生涯和中学生涯的关键性质 该项目将开发和测试几种独特的策略， 培养和保持年轻女性对科学的兴趣。 首先，所有的科学活动都将建立在个人兴趣之上 该年龄段的女学生，以应对经常听到的投诉， 科学很无聊 第二，科学活动将采取 放置在不同的环境中--传统的学校环境， 周末，在家里，在课后俱乐部，在波士顿博物馆， 科学-证明科学知识和活动与 生活的方方面面。 第三，这些活动将由妇女领导， 都是年轻女孩的榜样--女科学家，女亲戚， 女教师和年龄较大的同龄群体中的女孩-以对抗男性 大多数正式科学环境的主导气氛。 最后， 整个项目将由一个团队来规划和实施， 代表学校和大学教师，商业和工业，以及 科学博物馆。假设人们的多样性和 参与该项目的计划将大大改善 在年轻女性中培养科学兴趣的可能性将是 测试. 合作伙伴的成本分摊将占NSF资金的25%。

Recognizing the problems of attracting women into science related careers and the critical nature of the middle school years in career decisions, this project will develop and test several unique strategies for creating and sustaining an interest in science among young women. First, all the science activities will be built from personal interest of female students of the age to counter the often heard complaint by girls that science is boring. Second, the science activities will take place in a variety of settings -- traditional school environments, on weekends, at home, in after-school clubs, and at the Boston Museum of Science -- to demonstrate that science knowledge and activities relate to all aspects of life. Third, the activities will be led by women who are models for the young girls -- women scientists, women relatives, women teachers, and girls from older peer groups -- to counter the male dominant atmosphere of most formal scientific environments. Finally, the whole project will be planned and implemented by a team of people representing school and college faculty, business and industry, and the Museum of Science. The hypothesis that the diversity in the people and programs involved in this project will significantly improve the probability of creating an interest in science in young women will be tested. Cost sharing by the partners will total 25% of the NSF funding.