EMPOW[HER] Collective

The Discovery’s EMPOW[HER] Collective for Women & Girls in STEM will expand the museum’s programming for girls with the goal of keeping them engaged with STEM throughout their education.

Women make up only 35% of the STEM workforce.

Women remain underrepresented in STEM career fields – The Discovery’s EMPOW[HER} Collective will be a catalyst to change that. The collective will be comprised of women working in STEM as well as undergraduate and graduate students studying in these fields. Through mentorship, networking, and hands-on programming developed and implemented by women in this collective, women and girls of all ages will collaborate to build a community, giving rise to the next generation of female STEM professionals.

What will the EMPOW[HER] Collective do?

The Discovery’s EMPOW[HER] Collective will provide a variety of ways for girls to engage with STEM, and a multitude of opportunities for women working in STEM fields to help inspire the next generation of female STEM professionals:

Hands-on programming designed by Collective Members and focused on a specific STEM field, offered on select Saturdays in The Discovery’s Microsoft STEM Lab
Annual Girls STEM Career Exploration Fair
Girls career exploration field trips and behind-the-scenes tours at local STEM organizations and businesses

What are the short- and long-term goals for the Collective?

EMPOW[HER] Collective Short-term Goals for 2025/26
- Host an annual mixer bringing together women in STEM throughout the community to celebrate each other and learn about the initiative.
- Recruit 50 founding members making a gift of $500 each to support girls programming.
- Girls STEM Lab Saturdays: The Discovery will work with Collective members to develop and implement hands-on programming focused on a different area of STEM quarterly. The Discovery will choose four STEM topics and invite the members working in those areas of STEM to a meeting where they can help develop the curriculum for a hands-on program for girls in collaboration with The Discovery’s education team. Volunteers from the Collective will be recruited to facilitate STEM Lab Saturday events with support from The Discovery staff. The Discovery will purchase all supplies needed utilizing funds from member donations.
- Girls STEM Career Fair (Keynote Speaker and Tabling Event): Each of our 50 Collective members will be given tabling space within the museum to engage with girls and other visitors to The Discovery. This engagement will provide an opportunity for girls to meet STEM professionals and be introduced to STEM careers they may not have otherwise known about.
- Career Exploration at STEM Organizations: Should your company wish to sponsor the Collective, they will have the opportunity to host career exploration field trips and/or summer camps at their facility to introduce girls to their career professionals and career paths they might not otherwise be introduced to. The girls will have the opportunity to tour the facility, seeing first-hand the inspiring career possibilities.

EMPOW[HER] Collective Long-term Goals for 2027 and Beyond
- Invite women in STEM to The Discovery annually for a mixer to celebrate each other and our accomplishments from the past year and recruit new members.
- Continue to refine and expand programming for girls based on successes from the prior year.
- 3-5-year goal: Programming at The Discovery designed for girls will reach students at all grade levels, 2-12.
- The Discovery will serve as a bridge for girls to STEM programs at TMCC, UNR and CTE programs.

Become a Collective member and make a difference in 2026

Individual membership is open to current and retired STEM professionals, graduate and undergraduate students, and K-12 educators. Membership is for one year, September 2025 – October 2026. Corporate sponsorship opportunities are also available.

How will funds from members and corporate sponsors be used?

Funds raised through the EMPOW[HER] Collective will be used to support curriculum development of girls programming, program supplies, educator staff time, transportation costs for career exploration field trips/camps, program evaluation, Collective events, and related expenses.

Today's Hours