AAAS IF/THEN® Ambassadors to Inspire the Next Generation of Scientists

DALLAS AND SAN DIEGO, November 17, 2021 – Lyda Hill Philanthropies is pleased to announce that seven women scientists and engineers from their groundbreaking IF/THEN® Initiative have been selected to host a panel to inspire children to embrace STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and math) careers, among other activities, at San Diego Comic-Con Special Edition on Saturday, November 27, 2021. These women are among 125 in a multitude of scientific careers from across the country who were chosen to be AAAS (American Association for the Advancement of Science) IF/THEN® Ambassadors.

The panel program, STEAM Superstars, will offer attendees, particularly families, an opportunity to meet and hear about the career paths of women scientists and engineers who are incorporating art and other unconventional methods to teach and communicate science. These real-life heroes include:

• Moderator: Dr. Crystal Dilworth (neuroscientist, TV host)

• Dr. Claire Meaders (assistant teaching professor of science education, University of California San Diego, UCSD)

• Dr. Beata Mierzwa (molecular biologist, Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, UCSD)

• Dr. Kimberley Miner (climate scientist, NASA)

• Jasmine Sadler (rocket scientist, The STEAM Collaborative)

• Sam Wynns (conservation biologist, Cabrillo National Monument)

In addition to the panel, the AAAS IF/THEN® Ambassadors will present a mini fashion show, complete with sashays down a runway, depicting how they dress in their everyday careers with a superhero twist. There will be surprises given to attendees after the event. Dr. Earyn McGee, the seventh IF/THEN® Ambassador, who is a biologist who specializes in lizards, will amplify these activities throughout Comic-Con.

IF/THEN® is a bold initiative of Lyda Hill Philanthropies with a goal to activate a culture shift among young girls by opening their eyes to STEM careers. The three-prong strategy includes (1) Funding and elevating women in STEM as role models, (2) Convening cross-sector partners in entertainment, fashion, sports, business and academia to illuminate the importance of STEM everywhere, and (3) Inspiring girls with better portrayals of women in STEM through media and learning experiences to pique their interest in STEM careers. This program is encapsulated in the vision statement: “IF she can see it, THEN she can be it.”

For the first prong of the initiative, Lyda Hill Philanthropies has partnered with AAAS to administer the AAAS IF/THEN® Ambassador Program, which includes the recruitment and selection process, professional development, and the “She Can Change the World” public engagement initiative.

A popular recent exhibit, #IfThenSheCan, featured more than 120 life-size statues of women STEM stars, including the AAAS IF/THEN® Ambassadors participating in the panel. The bright orange sculptures, created by 3D scanning and 3D printing, were designed to inspire children to consider the myriad careers associated with STEAM education. It was a dramatic display at Dallas’ Northpark Mall and drew crowds of young students. Visit the virtual tour of the exhibit to see the statues of the seven women scientists: https://ifthenexhibit.org/virtual_tour/.