September 17, 2019

Seven Sigma Xi members are among women innovators from across the United States who have been selected as AAAS IF/THEN® Ambassadors by the American Association for the Advancement of Science and Lyda Hill Philanthropies. The ambassadors will share their stories and serve as high-profile role models for middle-school girls.

IF/THEN®, a national initiative of Lyda Hill Philanthropies, seeks to further women in science, technology, engineering and math by empowering current innovators and inspiring the next generation of pioneers.

“We firmly believe that IF we support a woman in STEM, THEN she can change the world,” said Lyda Hill, founder of Lyda Hill Philanthropies. “The goal of IF/THEN® is to shift the way our country—and the world—think about women in STEM and this requires changing the narratives about women STEM professionals and improving their visibility.”

To achieve this goal, AAAS IF/THEN® Ambassadors will connect with students in person and through various media platforms, including popular YouTube channels and network television shows. The ambassadors are contemporary role models who represent a diversity of STEM-related professions in the United States, from entertainment, fashion, sports, business and academia.

The initiative selected 125 AAAS IF/THEN Ambassadors®, and the following ambassadors are Sigma Xi members. 

1. Jennifer Adler, Jennifer Adler Photography, Conservation Photographer in Gainesville, Florida
2. Joyonna Gamble-George, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Health Scientist in Lutz, Florida
3. Tamar Goulet, University of Mississippi, Professor in University, Mississippi
4. Kavya Kopparapu, Harvard University / GirlsComputingLeague Undergraduate student and Founder/CEO in Herndon, Virginia
5. Corinna Lathan, AnthroTronix CEO in Silver Spring, Maryland
6. Kristen Lear, University of Georgia, PhD Candidate in Athens, Georgia
7. Jessie Rack, University of Arizona Community & School Garden Program, Program Coordinator in Tucson, Arizona

Congratulations to the ambassadors! See the full list on the AAAS website.