Science: It's a Girl Thing

Silly boys, science is for girls. That’s what a group of 9th- to 12th- grade girls were saying after attending the Science: It’s a Girl Thing camp at TTUHSC and Texas Tech this summer.

Science: It's A Girl Thing is a residential camp for girls coordinated by the Institute for the Development and Enrichment of Advanced Learners (IDEAL) at Texas Tech. IDEAL’s goals are to provide girls with strong role models and dispel myths and misconceptions about science and careers in science.

Yesenia Olivas, a 10th-grade student from Seminole High School, said she heard about the camp from her science teacher, and was interested in signing up because she dreams of becoming a neurologist or a neurosurgeon.

"I really enjoyed this camp," Olivas said in a questionnaire. "I was especially fond of your students' enthusiasm. It made the ride all the more thrilling. Thank you for making my experience unforgettable and memorable."

The School of Allied Health Science’s Clinical Laboratory Science Program partners with IDEAL in hosting a four-day camp for 12 students, where TTUHSC students introduce campers to clinical laboratory science.

“Clinical laboratory science students and faculty provide not only didactic information, but hands-on experience as well to include subjects such as clinical microbiology, clinical chemistry, immunology, molecular diagnostics, and hematology,” said Wade Redman, Ph.D., MBA, director of the Clinical Laboratory Science Program. “It is hoped that this introduction to the profession exposes girls to diverse topics in science and sparks interests that could lead to a lifelong career.”

In addition to getting a taste of university life and attending recreational events, campers participated in hands-on classes where they identified bacteria via Gram Stain, classified their own blood type, viewed blood under a microscope and extracted DNA from strawberries.

Alexandra Mabry, a 9th-grade student from Shallowater High School who aspires to become a trauma surgeon, said the best part about the camp were the hands-on activities. Through the whole experience, she said she gained a better understanding of the depth of the health care field.

"I loved everything where we got to test something about ourselves," Mabry said. "I would love to add some of these careers to my resume some day!"