Catalyst at Swarthmore College

What is Catalyst?

Catalyst is a conference for 7th and 8th grade girls hosted by Swarthmore College that encourages them to take classes and pursue careers in scientific fields. Math and science are more than just classes with homework! Our goal is to encourage the girls to continue to study math and science by giving them an opportunity to experience some of the cool activities that one can do with math and science that the girls have probably not done before. For one to discover the hidden wonders of the sciences and mathematics, one must continue to study and have fun learning about those fields. In past years, we have hosted approximately 150 girls from over 25 different middle schools in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware!

How much does it cost?

There is a $20 registration fee. Scholarships are available.

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What happens at the conference?

Participants attend hands-on workshops held by female professors who work in STEM fields and have discussions about being a woman studying science with current Swarthmore students. Some previous workshops have included making lemon batteries, origami, building a tower with toothpicks, pH testing of different household substances, probability games, and looking at cells under a microscope.

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