Advocates for Women in Science, Engineering and Mathematics (AWSEM) is a science and math advocacy program for fourth through twelfth grade girls. A program of Saturday Academy at Oregon Graduate Institute of Science and Technology, the AWSEM project creates and supports regional networks of science and technology professionals, educators, parents and community organizations dedicated to enriching the opportunities in science, engineering and mathematics for young women. These regional networks of community leaders work together to: (1) dispel the pervasive attitude that science, engineering and mathematics are inappropriate fields for women; (2) create links within local communities and their public and private institutions to promote the expansion of science opportunities for young women; and (3) establish a vertical support system beginning with school girls and including college students, teachers, parents and professionals that will ensure sustainable, long-term contact between young women and science practitioners. AWSEM currently maintains a network of eighteen after-school science and math clubs in the Portland metropolitan area dedicated to hands-on learning and on-site experience with professional women. At present, professional women at over twenty corporate, agency and academic worksites provide day- long interactive site visits for club members throughout the academic year. Other, AWSEM clubs have begun with the support and training of AWSEM's staff, using AWSEM curriculum and materials. The program is in the process of expanding nationally through a collaboration with the professional organization, Women in Technology International (WITI). AWSEM maintains a comprehensive regional database of science and engineering practitioners and acts as a central resource center for local communities interested in encouraging young women to study science and mathematics, offering day-long workshops on creating advocacy programs, and developing and disseminating supplementary curriculum and materials. These materials include "Passing the Torch,: a video overview of the AWSEM Project, and the AWSEM "Action Kit," a guidebook to creating advocacy programming, including sections for parents, teachers and professional, templates for permission slips and other important paper work, and over 45 hands-on curriculum pieces broken down by age group and field. All templates and curriculum are included on disk as well. Other AWSEM materials include the "Directory of Practitioners: Role Models for Young Women," a listing of over 150 women in science, engineering, mathematics and technology interested in working as mentors, and the "Passport to Science,," a guidebook for individual explorations of science. Since 1983, Saturday Academy's programs, including AWSEM, have served over 44,000 motivated 4th through 12th grade students throughout Oregon and Southern Washington, providing opportunities to learn beyond the classroom by making use of the expertise, equipment and facilities found in industry, higher education and community agencies. In 1996 Saturday Academy received the "Presidential Award for Excellence in Mentoring" for its work in support of students from groups under-represented in science and engineering.
