Project Scientist

Project Scientist Takes Young Girls on a STEM Expedition

The JetBlue Foundation is proud to continue its partnership with Project Scientist to introduce STEM education and aviation careers to girls from traditionally under-represented communities. Project Scientist’s STEM Expedition Summer Academy is geared towards girls ages 4-12 and includes behind-the-scenes tours at STEM-focused companies and college programs. During these summer camps, girls meet and learn directly from women in STEM fields. Project Scientist’s programs emphasize expeditions as a great way for girls to engage with female STEM role models. Their vision is to transform the face of STEM by nurturing today’s future scientists, who will lead the world in solving tomorrow’s greatest challenges.

Project Scientist works with universities, research partners, and curriculum developers to offer educational programming to girls from low-income backgrounds to participate in hands-on experiments and partake in local field trips. A JetBlue Foundation grant funded Project Scientist’s Pasadena and Orange County sites by increasing accessibility for more girls to participate in the STEM Expedition Summer Academy events.

On August 1, JetBlue hosted more than 60 Project Scientist campers at Long Beach Airport (LGB) in Southern California as part of the STEM expedition curriculum. The girls received an overview of the airline’s operation and learned directly from pilots and other aviation professionals about the various career options available in the airline industry. The JetBlue Foundation sponsored a similar program last year for Project Scientist for kindergarteners in Charlotte, N.C.

“Cultivating an interest in STEM at a young age is critical to a variety of career opportunities, including aviation,” said Joanna Geraghty, JetBlue President and Chief Operating Officer. “A strong STEM foundation early in a student’s academic career lays the groundwork for future success. To help the next generation of aviators take off, the JetBlue Foundation is focused on providing access and encouraging curiosity among all students.”