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A Cardboard Canoe Regatta For Girls In Science

NPR
Published August 18, 2015 at 1:52 PM EDT

You might wonder how cardboard boxes, duct tape and a swimming pool can solve a problem that has stumped researchers for years. That problem is how to get more women working in science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM for short.

Some think the answer lies in giving girls hands-on projects that spark their curiosity and prepare them for not only advanced science courses in school, but also a STEM career. That's where the tape, cardboard and pool come in.

This cardboard boat regatta was the final challenge in a weeklong intensive STEM summer camp at Rice University's Institute for Biosciences and Bioengineering. The camp is part of the university’s Girls STEM Initiative. Laura Isensee from Here & Now contributor Houston Public Media explains.

  • Read more via Houston Public Media

  • Learn more about Rice University’s Girls STEM Initiative

    •
    Dozens of teenage girls from Chavez High School built cardboard boats for a regatta. (Houston Public Media)
    /
    Dozens of teenage girls from Chavez High School built cardboard boats for a regatta. (Houston Public Media)

    [Youtube]

    Reporter

  • Laura Isensee, reporter for Houston Public Media. She tweets @lauraisensee.

    • Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

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    The future of public media is in your hands.

    All donations are appreciated, but we ask in this moment you consider starting a monthly gift as a Sustainer to help replace what’s been lost.

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