ALEXANDRIA, Va. — The American Geosciences Institute (AGI) is pleased to announce the launch of its new Geoscience Women in STEM website, providing Earth science teaching and learning resources inspired by the work of leading women geoscientists, with generous support from Lyda Hill Philanthropies.

AGI is unveiling the site, in cooperation with its publishing partner Nautilus, to strengthen geoscience education through the stories of women in geoscience, including some recently selected as AAAS IF/THEN Ambassadors by IF/THEN®, an initiative created by Lyda Hill Philanthropies to encourage and elevate the participation of girls and women in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields. The site offers curriculum connections that focus on the Next Generation Science Standards in Earth and Space Science and illuminate ways that STEM topics can be explored across traditional disciplinary boundaries.

The Geoscience IF/THEN® site is structured around geoscience education experiences and activities inspired by the careers of four STEM leaders:

• Geobiologist Hope Jahren, a renowned expert on the chemical composition of plants and trees;
• Particle physicist Jessica Esquivel, a researcher at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory and a AAAS IF/THEN® Ambassador;
• Climate policy expert Shyla Raghav, vice president of climate for Conservation International and a AAAS IF/THEN® Ambassador; and
• Entrepreneur Jasmine Sadler, aerospace engineer and CEO of The STEAM Collaborative and a AAAS IF/THEN® Ambassador.

The January 2020 launch of the site focuses on Hope Jahren, who is also the author of the bestselling memoir Lab Girl. Using a Nautilus interview with Dr. Jahren as a catalyst, the site offers a collection of education activities through which students can explore issues surrounding her career path, the chemistry and biology of trees, and the carbon cycle. Education resources and activities relating to the additional three women geoscientists will be featured on the website in the coming months.

"The storied careers of these women serve as potent inspiration to the next generation of female geoscientists," said AGI Interim Executive Director Sharon Tahirkheli. "But they also offer more. Through the Geoscience Women in STEM website, young people and others can explore the scientific trails blazed by these innovators, using the women's work as a starting place for their own journeys in geoscience."

Hosted within the Earth Science Week website, the Geoscience Women in STEM site furthers the theme of AGI's Earth Science Week 2019 campaign — "Geoscience Is for Everyone" — which provided information, materials, and activities emphasizing both the inclusive potential and the importance of the geosciences in the lives of all people.

About IF/THEN®

IF/THEN® is part of Lyda Hill Philanthropies' commitment to fund game-changing advancements in science and nature. IF/THEN® seeks to further advance women in STEM by empowering current innovators and inspiring the next generation of pioneers. Rooted in a firm belief that there is no better time to highlight positive and successful female professional role models, IF/THEN® is designed to activate a culture shift among young girls to open their eyes to STEM careers by: (1) funding and elevating women in STEM as role models, (2) convening cross-sector partners in entertainment, fashion, sports, business and academia to illuminate the importance of STEM everywhere, and (3) inspiring girls with better portrayals of women in STEM through media and learning experiences to pique their interest in STEM careers. To learn more, visit www.ifthenshecan.org or follow IF/THEN® on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

About AAAS IF/THEN® Ambassadors

AAAS IF/THEN® Ambassadors were selected through a rigorous process by IF/THEN® and the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), the world's largest general scientific society with the mission to advance science and serve society. The full list of women selected as AAAS IF/THEN® Ambassadors can be found at www.ifthenshecan.org/ambassadors.

About Lyda Hill Philanthropies

Lyda Hill Philanthropies encompasses the charitable giving of founder Lyda Hill who believes that "science is the answer" to life's most challenging issues and is committed to funding transformational advances in science and nature. To learn more, visit www.lydahillphilanthropies.org.

About Nautilus

Nautilus is a different kind of science magazine. Online, in print, and in the classroom, Nautilus leverages deep, undiluted, narrative storytelling to bring science into the largest and most important conversations we are having today. After all, that is where modern science — which is so personal, pervasive, spiritual, and transformative — deserves to be. Nautilus challenges the reader to consider the deep, mysterious connecting tissue that runs through the sciences and connects them to philosophy, culture, and art. Find out more at nautil.us.

About AGI

The American Geosciences Institute (AGI) is a nonprofit federation of more than 50 scientific and professional associations that represents over a quarter-million geoscientists. Founded in 1948, AGI provides information services to geoscientists, serves as a voice of shared interests in the profession, plays a major role in strengthening geoscience education, and strives to increase public awareness of the vital role the geosciences play in society's use of resources, resiliency to natural hazards, and interaction with the environment. Learn more at www.americangeosciences.org.
 
The American Geosciences Institute represents and serves the geoscience community by providing collaborative leadership and information to connect Earth, science, and people.
 
AGI Contact:
Geoff Camphire, Communications
gac@americangeosciences.org