GEMS program for middle-school girls begins
The first middle-school girls to participate in the program are in their 30s now, which demonstrates the longevity and popularity of Girls Engaged in Math and Science (GEMS). GEMS (originally called Engaging Young Women in Science, but given the catchier moniker in 1998) was created to encourage girls to consider math and science careers and to gain confidence in doing math and science. Participants have experienced virtual reality, visited research labs, heard from female scientists and engineers, learned programming skills, created 3D graphics, investigated galaxies and black holes, studied biodiversity, and more.