RIT associate professor of chemistry Lea Vacca Michel has won a national award for inspiring women in the fields of science and technology.
Michel is director of an RIT program called WISE - for Women in Science.
The success of the program made her one of 100 women to win the national INSIGHT Into Diversity award, from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine, for encouraging young women to consider STEM careers.
"Getting women and girls interested in science and math, and pursuing careers in science and math, also trying to get more exposure about the challenges that women have in science and math," said Michel.
She says historically, women are underrepresented in science and math and the RIT curriculum fits this goal.
One of the challenges is to keep young girls interested.
"Girls usually are really interested in science and math when they're younger. But then, there's a drop off, usually around middle school age, where they just lose interest and they choose not to major in it. Or, they choose not to pursue careers in it. So, we're trying to change that."
She believes it’s important for the girls to develop mentors and role models.
"They need to see women in these positions, so they can see themselves in those positions. If all they see is men, then they're not going to be able to visualize themselves as a scientist or mathematician."
Michel says many women professors at RIT help as mentors.
She also holds a summertime math camp at RIT called SMASH.
"We hope to show the middle school girls the utility and the applications that they can use with math. Like, so what's useful with math."
She says girls are underrepresented in STEM careers.
"Everything is going to be better when you have equal representation with men and women."
Michel is quick to credit all of the men and women in RIT’s Women in Sciences program for its success.