The Program for Women in Science and Engineering (WiSE) was founded in 1986 by a group of Iowa State University faculty and staff concerned about the underrepresentation and underutilization of women in science and engineering. WiSE reports to the Office of the Senior Vice President and Provost and supports students in five colleges: College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, College of Engineering, College of Human Sciences, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, and the Ivy College of Business.
WiSE provides:
Outreach programs to over 9,000 K-12 students to create awareness and enthusiasm about pursuing STEM careers
First-Year Experience and Transfer Experience as well as programming for undergraduate women in STEM majors
Opportunities for prospective students (from high school, community colleges, or other institutions) to connect with women pursuing STEM degrees
Opportunities for alumnae, professionals, and businesses to 'give back' and support the mission of WiSE via their time, talent and resources
Support for faculty and staff across the university in their efforts to increase the participation and success of women in their college or departments
Points of Pride:
Over 65,000 girls, parents, and educators have participated in our Go Further Girls STEM Career Conference since 1987
Over 3,500 women have participated in WiSE residential programs since 1995
Over 1.1 million dollars in scholarships have been awarded to undergraduate women in STEM majors since 1990
Over 46 STEM women have been featured in the Women Impacting ISU Calendar since 2006
Enrollment of women in STEM at ISU has increased from 1,819 in Fall 1986 to over 5,600 in 2016
WiSE hosted 1,074 research interns between 1987 and 2010