“We know that belonging, representation, and early encouragement matter enormously in shaping whether young women see science as a place where they belong,” says Dr. Randy Newman, chair of Acadia’s Department of Psychology,

Dr. Newman is also the co-chair of WISE (Women in Science and Engineering) Acadia alongside Dr. Melanie Coombs (Biology). The initiative supports women and girls in science and engineering while also fostering institutional and cultural change within STEM environments.

In the innovative Student Research Lab (SRL), high school students are co-researchers rather than subjects. They help design research questions, interview other youth, analyze real data, and contribute to findings that inform educators, employers, and policymakers. The high school students get mentorship from Acadia students and professors to learn real-world research skills.