Our mission at YWIB Chicago is to create STEM activities, programs, and events geared towards encouraging middle and high school girls to consider careers in the life sciences.

Our events provide an opportunity for girls to be introduced to many different career paths and help build networking skills. We at YWIB Chicago are always working to collaborate, volunteer and partner with local industry, sponsors and non-for-profit groups committed to STEM outreach and education.

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YWIB Volunteering Opportunities

If you are interested in volunteering, please contact us at chicagoywib@womeninbio.org.

Chicago Public School Science Fair

WIB members volunteer at the annual Chicago school science fair, and participate in judging projects at the Museum of Science and Industry.

Common Threads/Citizen Schools

YWIB and Rush Heart Center for Women volunteer at Woodson Elementary School in a cooking apprenticeship. Cardiologists present a series of three talks on heart health, nutrition, and heart disease. In addition to partnering with Common Threads, we hope to present a series of the heart health topics to the students every spring.

YWIB-Chicago Partnerships

University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) Early Outreach Program
The UIC Early Outreach Program (EOP) is an academic pipeline program that facilitates the development of underrepresented K-12 minority students via educational enrichment in the core content areas of reading, math, and science. This program works tirelessly to inspire independence, cultivate curiosity, and instill confidence in our students in order to help ensure their ability to matriculate into higher levels of education and ultimately health professions. YWIB has provided hands-on workshops on “Engagement Saturdays” entitled Glucose, Lactose, Sucrose, ‘Oh My and How an Inventor Protects their Patents. To learn more about the EOP check out their web site at https://earlyoutreach.uic.edu/

Ladies of Virtue
Ladies of Virtue (LOV) is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives of women, ages 10 to 18, in underserved communities. Their mission is to prepare young women for college, a career, and adulthood. Through individualized, peer to peer, team mentoring, LOV provides participants with unique leadership while providing an innovative, intellectually stimulating, and encouraging environment. Our 2nd Annual Spring Into STEM event hosts LOV for a self-guided tour of the Garfield Park Conservatory featuring presentations, games, and mentoring. To learn more about Ladies of Virtue check out their website.

American Heart Association (AHA) GO RED STEM Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University
YWIB Chicago have hosted intimate speed networking events for students in the AHA GO RED STEM program. The AHA GO RED STEM program is geared towards speed mentoring and networking for Chicago area high school girls interested in careers in STEM.

Common Threads
Members of WIB-Chicago chapter partnered with Common Threads and volunteered for the Cooking apprenticeship in action program at Carter G. Woodson South Elementary School in the Bronzeville Neighborhood. A chef instructor from Common Threads led a weekly hands-on cooking apprenticeship to middle school girls and boys, which introduced the students to the cuisine and culture of various countries of the world. WIB volunteers helped guide students, prepare their ingredients, cook, and understand the importance of healthy nutrition.