MakerGirl uses 3D printing to get young girls interested in STEM
MakerGirl, a non-profit organization that uses 3D printing to teach young girls, science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) skills, has recently announced plans for expansion.
Originally, MakerGirl only offered its 3D printing courses at the University of Illinois, but has since expanded to other academies, such as Northwestern University. Additionally, MakerGirl is entering the final steps for a partnership with DePaul University, with plans to take the nonprofit to universities in the Milwaukee area and beyond.
“I definitely think it’s important to help girls in those areas,” said MakerGirl co-founder, Elizabeth Engele. “Creative thinking can be combined with a STEM degree. It is one of the most powerful combinations to build, but I grew up thinking that a STEM profession excluded being creative.”
About the Author
Alexis GajewskiAlexis Gajewski
Senior Content Strategist
Alexis Gajewski is a manufacturing writer and editor with nearly 20 years of experience covering the people, practices, and technologies that keep industrial facilities running. For more than a decade, she served as Senior Content Strategist for Plant Services, creating content for plant managers, engineers, and maintenance professionals on a variety of industrial topics.
During her tenure, Alexis worked to develop the brand’s digital strategy and helped launch and produce Great Question: A Manufacturing Podcast. She also created The Lighter Side of Manufacturing, a weekly blog that explored the inventive and sometimes humorous side of the industry.
Alexis co-founded Influential Women in Manufacturing, a recognition program that honored 49 women in its first two years, earned an industry award for Best Product Launch, and received a proclamation from Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and a commendation from U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth.
She also led newsroom operations and development at a large media company where she set editorial standards, developed training curriculum, and helped support AI adoption for more than 150 editors across 80+ brands spanning manufacturing, industrial processing, automation, and more.
Additionally, Alexis works as a freelance writer and editor, and her areas of interest include continuous improvement, the skilled workforce, and the role of emerging technology on the plant floor.
Connect with Alexis on LinkedIn
