Ten years after founding STEM Gems, Stephanie Espy reflects on the nonprofit’s growth, four pipeline programs, and what it means to give girls a real shot at STEM careers
Stephanie Espy did not set out to build a movement. She set out to answer a question that had been sitting with her for years. As an MIT-trained chemical engineer, she kept finding herself as the only woman of color in the room, and then the next room, and the next. That pattern became the foundation of STEM Gems, an Atlanta-based nonprofit now in its 10th year of connecting girls to careers in science, technology, engineering, and math.
A mission built on what was missing
Espy traces the origin of STEM Gems back to her personal experience navigating spaces where women, and particularly women of color, were few and far between. The gap she noticed in the workplace pushed her to think about how early the problem actually starts.
“From my own experiences, not only in the classroom but also in the workplace, I found there is a lack of women of color in particular, but even women in general, who are thinking about and pursuing careers in engineering,” she said. “Some of these careers have just 1% women. How do we highlight these careers and the women in them and share their stories to inspire others?”
The answer started with a book. STEM Gems features 44 women excelling across 44 diverse STEM fields, along with eight chapters of practical, actionable advice drawn from their stories. When educators and parents began asking for a curriculum to go with it, Espy wrote one. STEM Gems became a nonprofit built around one core idea: every girl, no matter her zip code or background, deserves access.
Four programs, one pipeline
Today, STEM Gems runs four programs designed to keep girls engaged from middle school through high school. The STEM Gems Club operates inside schools through a year-long curriculum. Saturday Sessions bring girls together throughout the school year with support from corporate and community partners. The Summer Camp, held in partnership with Georgia Tech, gives girls a full week on campus with professors, labs, and hands-on experiments. And the annual STEM Gems Summit brings it all together in one room.
“It is a jam-packed week of inspiration, empowerment, and STEM fun,” Espy said of the summer camp. A fourth program was added this year, timed to the organization’s 10th anniversary and shaped by what the first three programs revealed about what girls still need.
The 10th Annual STEM Gems Summit
This year’s summit marks a decade of the annual gathering, held in partnership with Spelman College and the Atlanta Science Festival on Pi Day. For the first time, the event introduced career labs, smaller group sessions where girls go beyond meeting women professionals and actually engage with them through hands-on activities and deeper career conversations.
“They will walk away with new role models, even mentors, and new careers to consider,” Espy said. The summit sold out, with around 180 girls, parents, educators, and volunteers filling the room. For those who could not attend, STEM Gems streamed the event live on YouTube.
What Espy wants girls to know
When asked what she would tell a girl who is curious about STEM but unsure if it is the right fit, Espy kept her answer straightforward. Try it.
“You may not know where to start, and then you come to our programs, and you might decide this is something you are strongly considering,” she said. “We hear it all the time from girls who say they did not think STEM was going to be for them, but after the experience, they are way more interested. That is all we can ask for.”
The summer camp in June is the next opportunity for girls in 8th and 9th grade to get involved. Registration is open at stemgemsbook.com. Espy’s advice for anyone on the fence is the same as it has been for 10 years. Show up and see what happens.