STEM in the Liberal Arts Program

Our Purpose

Bryn Mawr College’s Science, Technology, Engineering and Math in the Liberal Arts (STEMLA) program is a free, interdisciplinary, college-transition and mentorship program designed for limited-income undergraduate students entering Bryn Mawr College.

The STEMLA program was established to facilitate limited-income students' academic exploration, personal enrichment, and professional success. Constructed on a foundation of evidence-based psychosocial research and best practices, the program works to ensure that Fellows are provided the necessary support and mentorship to not only persist in STEM, but to succeed in STEM fields at Bryn Mawr and beyond.

To do this, we work to empower Fellows as they undertake a four-year process of exploration, self-discovery, and identity building. The program centers around the development of a STEM identity, community and belonging, and career exploration, all of which are recognized as significant contributors to persistence and success in STEM.

Our Mission

The mission of the STEM in the Liberal Arts program is to partner with and support limited income students from matriculation to graduation and beyond. We believe that limited income students bring with them unique and valuable lived experiences that have the power to propel scientific discovery forward. As such, we see it as our duty to empower Fellows and cultivate their unique perspectives, skills, and attributes in a way that provides a solid foundation for success at Bryn Mawr and in their post-graduate lives. We work to ensure that Fellows not only persist through their respective majors, but thrive both in and outside the classroom with the support of a strong community and a thoughtfully constructed support network. We aim to provide spaces for Fellows to simultaneously explore interests and passions, no matter what they are, on the path toward discovering a career that is both fulfilling and aligns with their respective values.

Faculty and Staff: Want to get involved with STEMLA? Schedule a meeting here. You can access the STEMLA Faculty Moodle page here. To request access to the Moodle, email Kelsey Obringer at kobringer@brynmawr.edu.

STEMLA Fellows post in front of display case

Fall 2022: STEMLA in the News

STEMLA Fellows Unveil New Display and Digital Exhibit in the Park Atrium

"On Wednesday, October 26, fellows in the STEM in the Liberal Arts (STEMLA) Program showcased their work at a display and digital exhibit unveiling in Park Atrium.

For the unveiling, fellows put together a physical display case of photos, geological specimens, 3D-printed items, and diagrams related to the courses and field trips they took that summer, as well as a digital exhibit that they had created. The physical display also included paintings students made using iron oxides collected from their trip to an acid mine remediation site."

Read the Article

Fellow Spotlight

Taylor Ferreira '25 Partakes in the Fulbright UK Summer Institute

During the summer of 2022, Taylor spent three weeks at University College London for their Geography and the Built Environment program.

As Taylor explained, "This opportunity allowed me to further my education about climate crises and sustainability... During my time in this program, I immersed myself into London’s culture and soaked up as much information as I possibly could about the UK and the environment."

STEMLA Program Accepting Applications for Summer Fellowships

“The STEMLA Program uplifts each fellow’s personal interest in STEM as a valuable driver of success that allows them to grow and thrive in their chosen field,” says Skirkanich. “The program also provides mentorship, research opportunities, and a supportive STEM community experience that empowers each fellow to forge their own pathway through a STEM major at Bryn Mawr, and beyond.”

Read the Article

Silver Creek Acid Mine Drainage Remediation site in New Philadelphia, PA

Summer 2022: Coal, Oil, Nuclear: Energy and Extraction Scalar Site

"As part of our efforts to understand humanity’s relationships with coal, oil, and nuclear energy sources, students in these two courses have collectively built this Scalar book. From the STML 112 course, students have contributed a selection of geologic objects they have worked with, data analyses they have conducted, samples they have taken from field sites, and conceptual diagrams. Their goal with these contributions is to synthesize their work on the geology of coal, oil, and nuclear energy and to connect it with their writings from STML 113. These reports from STML 113 describe and analyze works regarding the three energy sources that did not appear on our syllabus. They explore a wide range of materials and the intersections between humanity, nature, and energy."

Check Out the Scalar Book

Fellow Spotlight

Caelin Foley '25 Joins the Translational Research Immersion (TRIP) program at the University of Pennsylvania

During the summer of 2022, Caelin participated in the Translational Research Immersion (TRIP) program at the University of Pennsylvania. She worked at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia with Dr. Michele Lambert, a pediatric hematologist/oncologist, whose research focuses on the genetic basis of atypical immune thrombocytopenia.

Learn More About TRIP