GBI Research Associate Samantha Wynns has done some pretty remarkable things while supporting interpretation and environmental education at Cabrillo National Monument. She’s led STEM-based summer camp programs for underserved girls, she’s served as an American Association for the Advancement of Science IF/THEN Ambassador, and she’s appeared on an episode of the CBS TV series, Mission Unstoppable with Miranda Cosgrove. And this is just scratching the surface. Such are Samantha’s accomplishments that she really ought to have a statue erected in her honor.
What’s that? She has? Well, how about that.
Yes, as part of IF/THEN’s efforts to promote and celebrate the role of women in STEM-related fields, more than 120 3D-printed statues of innovators in these fields were assembled at NorthPark Center in Dallas, Texas. And Samantha is among them.
Women currently make up less than 30% of the STEM workforce, and these statues are an attempt to show that there is, indeed, room for them in this realm. The exhibit, which is the largest 3D-printed project of its kind, is, according to its organizers, “rooted in a simple truth: seeing is believing. When a girl sees a woman successfully pursuing a STEM career (and having fun), she is more likely to imagine a STEM career for herself … and perhaps even change the world.”
We at GBI take pride in being able to offer opportunities that agree with IF/THEM’s aims for people like Samantha. And we’re thrilled to see her efforts showcased in such and visible and dynamic way. And what does Samantha have to say about being so celebrated? “Yes, it is COMPLETELY BANANAS that I’m a statue. I’m fully aware of the strangeness: it feels totally surreal.”
The NorthPark Center exhibit will run through October 24, 2021, and will then rotate to different locations around the country. Find more information about the exhibit here: https://ifthenexhibit.org/
