Help celebrate women in STEM at NC Aquarium at Fort Fisher on Saturday

FORT FISHER, NC (WWAY) — Dozens of leading women in the science, technology, engineering, and math industries will be taking over the North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher this weekend as part of the aquarium’s annual “Femme in Stem” event.

Delighting in an underwater diver in a 235,000-gallon habitat, turning on a light bulb by touching your nose or feeling the carapace of a sea turtle are all experiences at the annual Femme in STEM event.

The 5^th Annual Femme in STEM event is happening on Saturday, Sept. 28 from 9 am to 4 pm The aquarium staff says it continues to be a favorite for both exhibitors and visitors. In 2023, 21 organizations participated with 80 leading women scientists in the Cape Fear region engaging with 1,800 visitors at the Aquarium.

“We’re excited that in 2024 we have new and returning women. Every year the immersive experiences and activities the exhibitors bring are more exciting. This engagement is so valuable to young women who have an opportunity to explore science, technology, engineering and math as a future career,” NCAFF unique experiences coordinator Gail Lemiec said.

Femme in STEM showcases the variety of STEM fields that are open for career paths while facilitating an interactive experience with people working in those fields. The goal for the event is to spark an interest in the world around us and how we study and learn more about that world.

Research shows that starting around middle school, girls start losing interest in science and other STEM subjects. For the Aquarium, it is important for young girls to see someone like themselves in STEM fields.

“We hope that more people and minds pursue STEM fields to help solve complex issues in our environment. We are all about saving species at the Aquarium and the people who are doing that work are in STEM,” Lemiec said.

Femme in Stem is also a celebration of women. Many exhibitors commented that it was so nice to see so many women peers and colleagues out for the day. Some even mentioned that they are the only woman in their department, and it was a nice reminder that other women are in STEM and we need more of them.

The event is included with an Aquarium reservation. Tickets for special days like Femme in STEM sell out. Online reservations are required to visit the Aquarium at NCAFF Admissions.