WISE has identified six skill categories where we can be most helpful in supporting women and non-binary individuals succeed in STEM. In order to make it easier to navigate your U-M STEM experience, we have developed the WISE Hub. Each section of the honeycomb image corresponds to a set of activities that will help you meet the objective of that support area.
Weave My Net
Building and reinforcing a strong support net is critical whether you’re new to U-M or have been here for a bit. That net may catch you if you fall or it might be a ladder to help you climb toward your goals. Knowing what resources are available for both scenarios is part of weaving that net.
Hone My Academic Skills
No matter where you are in your educational journey, there are always opportunities to improve how we learn. We all face challenges staying motivated at times, for example. Take a minute and think about your strengths and areas for growth, academically. These resources and activities are likely able to help.
Sharpen My STEM Skills
Everyone follows their own path to becoming a scientist or an engineer. One challenge you might encounter on your journey is not feeling as prepared or remembering concepts as well as you’d like. The activities in this section will help you find resources and learning experiences for sharpening some of the foundational skills that are relevant across the science and engineering disciplines.
Unpack Social Identities and STEM
You have likely joined the WISE Hub because you know that there aren’t all that many “people like you” in your courses and labs. Understanding the range of experiences that scientists and engineers have had (and are having), and how those experiences connect to the social identities (race, gender, ethnicity, socio-economic status, immigration status, etc) those scientists and engineers hold can help you in two ways. First, that understanding can help you unpack your own experiences and identify supports that might be particularly helpful for you. Secondly, that understanding can help you be an ally to other scientists and engineers who come from marginalized communities.
Prepare for My Chosen Profession
Whether you already know where you want to end up after your time at U-M or you’re still trying to figure that out, there are many skills you can be building to help you succeed after graduation.
Grow Into a STEM Leader
As you progress in your education, you’ll develop a stronger sense of how your work as a scientist might intersect with your personal values and the role(s) you want to play in society.