Six orange statues on display at the Pacific Science Center in Seattle offer an eye-catching way to learn about the contributions of women in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). And they stand as a reminder that seeing examples of role models can help break down the barriers standing in the way of future successful girls and women.
Short for “If she can she it, then she can be it,” the IF/THEN display is part of the broader “Science for Everyone” exhibit at the Science Center. Through interactive screens, video interviews and the 3D-printed statues, visitors can learn from STEM professionals about what sparked their interest in STEM, what led them to their careers, and how everyone can work in STEM positions.
The six IF/THEN statues are part of a national exhibit featuring 120 statues, called the largest 3D-printed exhibit of its kind, which debuted in Dallas in 2021. According to project facilitator Lyda Hill Philanthropies, each subject stood in a scanning booth that combined 89 cameras and 25 projectors to generate a 3D image. To print the image, a special machine slowly built up layers of acrylic gel over 10 or more hours to create life-size human figures.
“Women constitute half of the college-educated workforce but make up just 25% percent of the STEM industry,” the IF/THEN website says. “This exhibit showcases accomplished and relatable STEM role models whose stories are proof that gender is no barrier to any career.”
Learn more about each woman featured in Seattle, with biographical information provided by IF/THEN:
Jordana Dahmen
Dahmen graduated from Washington State University with a BS in biology. She spent five years researching wearable technology in geriatric, rehabilitation, and pregnant populations. By age 21, Dahmen published her first author research paper, presented at an international computer science conference, and won multiple accolades for her research presentations. She currently works as a research coordinator for Vital Research where she amplifies the voices of underserved populations to improve their policies and programs through inclusive research. Dahmen was crowned as Miss Idaho USA in 2022.
In her words: “As a little girl I loved playing with my Barbies. Every 4th of July I would strap my Barbies to fireworks. It was thrilling to see what happened to Barbie when she went into space. Sometimes her hair would burn off, occasionally I would lose their heads, and one year I might have caught the neighbor’s tree on fire. … That was the year I learned about physics. This fascination with experimentation and discovery followed me throughout junior high and high school as I competed in various science competitions.”
Gracie Ermi
Ermi is a machine learning scientist at Washington D.C.-based geospatial monitoring company Impact Observatory. She was previously a research engineer focused on saving endangered animals and preserving ocean health through her work at Seattle’s Allen Institute for Artificial Intelligence, where she built machine learning technology that trained computers to do the most tedious aspects of conservation work. She is passionate about sharing her story as a way to inspire people, especially women and girls, to pursue computer science as an avenue to make a change in their communities and around the world. Ermie holds both a B.S. and a M.S. in computer science from Western Washington University.
In her words: “If you’re a girl who is even remotely interested in computer science or coding or solving big problems, I want you to know what a fun and attainable job it is. We need more young girls to enter this field.”
Jessica (Jess) Fagerstrom
Fagerstrom is a medical physicist at the University of Washington, who previously worked at the Northwest Medical Physics Center, ensuring that radiation is delivered safely and effectively. She is board certified in therapeutic medical physics through the American Board of Radiology and is an active member of the American Association of Physicists in Medicine. Fagerstrom earned her Ph.D. at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and her previous work took her to Hawaii where she was a clinical physicist at Queen’s Medical Center. In 2021, she earned a M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction with a specialization in Science Education from the University of Washington.
In her words: “I love my job because I get to use fascinating science and cutting-edge technology, to help people who are sick feel better. On a daily basis, I know that our team is making a real difference in people’s lives.”
Jaye Gardiner
A biomedical research scientist, Gardiner uses her knowledge of the microscopic world to understand what occurs in various diseases like viral infections or cancer. With 10 years of research experience, Gardiner has been nationally recognized for her STEM excellence, accruing numerous competitive fellowships to fund her research and present at conferences nationwide. Gardiner harnesses her childhood passion for drawing by combining her talents in STEM and as a self-trained illustrator to show that science is for everyone. She created scientist trading cards with Unique Scientists and comics about science and scientists with JKX Comics, an initiative she co-founded in 2015.
In her words: “For the longest time I thought I had to choose between my interests – I would either become an artist or a scientist – but never both. However, that all changed when I met my high school chemistry teacher, Mr. Coy. He was an active musician AND a science teacher.”
Becca Peixotto
An archaeologist, Peixotto relishes the intellectual and physical challenges of research in remote areas, like the Great Dismal Swamp of Virginia, where a team found traces of 18th and 19th century Maroon communities on small unmapped islands. This group of African Americans resisted slavery and sought freedom in the deep swamp. Peixotto combined her caving and climbing skill sets to help uncover a new-to-science ancient human relative, Homo naledi, and was curator of the “Origins: Fossils from the Cradle of the Humankind” exhibit at the Perot Museum of Nature and Science in Dallas. She is former director of the museum’s Center for the Exploration of the Human Journey. Peixotto holds a BA from the University of Alabama Huntsville, an MA from the Universiteit van Amsterdam, and an MA and a Ph.D. from American University in Washington, D.C.
In her words: “When I took my first archaeology course, it was like a lightbulb turned on! I could combine all my experiences and interests in science, the outdoors, teaching, history, to learn more about our collective human past.”
Maddie Weinstein
Weinstein is a mathematician who loves to tackle hard problems. She is currently an assistant professor of mathematics and computer science at the University of Puget Sound. In her short career, Weinstein has authored 14 research articles. Her work has earned her numerous awards totaling over $300,000, most notably a Mathematical Sciences Postdoctoral Research Fellowship and a Graduate Research Fellowship from the National Science Foundation, a Chancellor’s Fellowship from UC Berkeley, and an Honorable Mention for the Alice T. Schafer Prize, given by the Association for Women in Mathematics to an outstanding undergraduate female mathematician.
In her words: “My favorite part of my job is conducting math research. I spend most of my day reading math books and articles. I read like a detective, looking for patterns and for connections between ideas from different sources. When I think I’ve found something interesting, I explore examples by writing computer code and drawing pictures.”
