Julia Serna, Outreach Coordinator, creates an oscillating clock with a Walnut Elementary student in the Boys and Girls Club as part of a Fun With Chemistry event.

Women in Natural Sciences (WINS) seeks to promote outreach programs for students in grades K-12, especially young women.

WINS students have multiple opportunities throughout the year to share their love of science with students in elementary and secondary schools. WINS students perform outreach at special educational events, mentor/tutor students in local independent school districts, and provide essential support for on-campus outreach events. The following outreach opportunities are an important component of the WINS Residential Program--however FIG students have the opportunity to participate as well.

We participate in events and initiatives both on and off campus.

Such as:

• GirlStart
• The Thinkery
• Meals on Wheels
• Fun With Chemistry
• Girls in STEM Conference
• Austin Regional Science Festival

Beginning Spring 2012, the WINS Residential Program began a very special partnership with Girlstart, a local non-profit which shares our goal of mentoring young women in science.  WINS students have the opportunity to volunteer and also gain paid internship experience through Girlstart.

Starting Fall 2016, the WINS Residential Program also formed a partnership with Dr. Kate Biberdorf, First-Year Chemistry lecturer and coordinator of Fun With Chemistry. This program inspires young students to pursue science through fun, hands-on demonstrations at multiple outreach events. Through this partnership, WINS students have had the opportunity to create and perform a chemistry show at The Thinkery museum, which was featured on the Wall Street Journal. They also have had the opportunity to conduct multiple experiments with students from the Boys and Girls Club at local elementary schools.

WINS Service Abroad

Every summer students in the WINS Residential Program have the opportunity to travel to another country to volunteer together and experience another culture. Our 2012 trip was to Costa Rica and in 2013 and 2014 we spent 11 days in Buenos Aires, Argentina. In the summer of 2015 we traveled to Cusco, Perú and Machu Picchu, and in 2017 we look forward to returning to Argentina once again.

Visit our WINS in the World Blog for more photos and to follow our adventures.

Have an idea for a WINS outreach project?  Let us know at cnsstudentlife@austin.utexas.edu!