University at Buffalo (UB)
Women in the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences
Here at the University at Buffalo’s School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, we are committed to promoting and supporting women in engineering, science, technology and math.
Through a wide range of programs, services, and activities, we are building a supportive and inclusive environment for women in the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences.
Our female students can take advantage of a variety of resources and participate in activities including:
Committed to improving student diversity to achieve a minimum of 30% female by 2025.
Over 50 women faculty members and counting.
Women in Science and Engineering (WiSE)
The Women in Science and Engineering (WiSE) program is a special initiative that provides support and extra-curricular opportunities for female students in the STEM fields with the goal of increasing the recruitment, retention and success of women in the sciences, math and engineering.
The WiSE program offers an orientation for incoming freshwomen to meet professors, visit laboratories, run experiments and learn their way around campus at the start of the semester. Events throughout the year include guest lectures, a brown-bag lunch series, community outreach, and breakfast meetups with professors.
Whether you are a new student with an interest in science, or an upperclasswoman or graduate student majoring in a STEM discipline, we invite you to participate in WiSE.
The WiSE program is a collaboration between the College of Arts and Sciences and the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences.
SEAS Women's Empowerment Scholarship
The School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) aims to significantly increase the percentage of women undergraduate students in its engineering and computer science programs. Towards this goal, we are excited to offer a scholarship to female applicants entering as first year students who have the potential to become leaders in the fields of engineering and computer science. Called the SEAS Women's Empowerment Scholarship, the highly-selective award is a non-tuition scholarship that can be used for costs such as housing, student fees, or experiential learning opportunities, including study abroad. Funds are awarded annually over four years as long as the recipient remains in an engineering or computer science major with a minimum cumulative UB GPA of 3.0. Scholarship recipients must register for full-time status each semester (at least 12 credits). Qualified applicants will be notified about the award at the time of admission. There is no separate application.
Women in STEM Cooperative
The UB Women in STEM Cooperative (WISC) is committed to empowering women in STEM by offering engaging content, authentic conversation, and a supportive community to women students, faculty and professionals in STEM from UB and Western New York.
All students, faculty, professionals and guests of UB, regardless of gender, are invited to join WISC. The program was established in 2013 by an interdisciplinary coalition of women volunteers from across the University at Buffalo who pooled resources together to benefit other women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).
The NAVIGATE Project: Helping women in STEM overcome gender discrimination
Women are underrepresented in STEM disciplines despite widespread efforts to increase participation, creating an economic barrier as industry demand for STEM employees grows rapidly with advancing technology.
Even more apparent is the shortage of women in leadership roles in STEM fields. Many women in STEM disciplines continue to be dissuaded from lofty career goals when they encounter gender bias, discrimination and inequity, reporting that they find it challenging to navigate these adverse situations without derailing their careers.
The NAVIGATE Project aims to help women in STEM by:
- Overcoming barriers to advance women in STEM careers nationwide
- Equipping women with the skills needed to navigate bias, inequity or discrimination in the workforce
- Applying a case study approach proven to develop analytical and problem-solving skills
- Addressing a national priority to grow and diversify the STEM workforce
The NAVIGATE Project is supported by a National Science Foundation Research Traineeship (NRT) award in the Innovations of Graduate Education (IGE) Track, and is led by the University at Buffalo and California Polytechnic State University.
UB STEMinism
The goal of the UB STEMinism group is to provide a safe and supportive space for women of color in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields to address concerns related to identity, psychosocial stressors, school-work-life balance and other factors, that may impact their academic functioning in undesirable ways.
Created in conjunction with UB Counseling Services, the STEMinism group features:
- A support network for women who share similar goals, objectives, struggles and successes
- Psychoeducation, peer-support/student led discussion groups
- A place to facilitate healthier interactions and address some psychosocial stressors
- A place to identify barriers to success, personal or academic, and develop strategies that move students forward
- A place to obtain information for on-campus/community referrals related to mental health concerns that will not addressed by/in group
STEMinism is scheduled on a bi-weekly basis throughout the semester and in addition to the psychoeducation and peer support, provides opportunities for participants to engage in social activities, professional development, mentoring workshops, seminars and other activities that connect women of color in STEM.
