“I have had students tell me that my mentoring is what changed their minds about science. That is the golden ticket!”
Callie Ayers sees that working directly with students is the gateway to connect them with the wonders of science. Bringing students into chemistry facilities, organizing day camps, and being a mentor for youth is the hallmark of her approach to introduce children – especially girls – into STEM careers. Working at the Dow Chemical Company as a Research and Development Environmental Health and Safety Technician gives her a direct link to students in her community.
“If I can inspire just one child to have a love of science, then I have done my job,” says Ayers.
This attitude is what earns her recognition as a You Be The Chemist Community Champion, for her work with middle school students in Lake Jackson, TX. Ayers has arranged many events, including Take Your Child to Work Day, Girls in STEM Day, Dream Camp, and Girl Scout Camps.
Ayers has been inspired by chemistry ever since she can remember, in awe of how chemistry serves as the “building blocks of all things in the universe.” When the local middle school was in need of a You Be The Chemist mentor, her enthusiasm for the study made her the perfect fit for the job. For Ayers, volunteering comes with a sense of accomplishment—she finds the ultimate reward in helping train “the future scientists of this world.”
Ayers has played an active role in Dow’s partnership with the Chemical Educational Foundation (CEF), as she has advanced both Dow’s Building the Workforce of Tomorrow initiative and CEF’s You Be The Chemist activities with youth of Lake Jackson . After three years as a You Be The Chemist volunteer, Ayers still says her favorite part of volunteering is when students “figure something out, when it just clicks, and they smile from ear to ear.” That, Ayers knows, is how she’s making a difference.
