Suva – Today, female secondary school students from across Suva gathered at American Corner Suva, located in the Suva City Library, for “Let’s Talk STEM,” a learner-centered discussion and hands-on activity supporting women and girls in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) with Dr. Drew Harvell. This event is one of a series of free activities at American Corner Suva focused on STEM learning for all.
Dr. Harvell is a professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at Cornell University in New York (USA). She is a featured expert in national and international media and is widely published on the topic of marine biology.
Dr. Harvell comes to the Pacific as a part of the U.S. Science Envoy program from the U.S. Department of State. Through the U.S. Science Envoy Program, eminent U.S. scientists and engineers leverage their expertise and networks to forge connections and identify opportunities for sustained international cooperation. During her visit to Fiji, Dr. Harvell attended and spoke at SPC’s “Pacific Islands Conference on Ocean Science and Ocean Management.”
In addition to her role as a conference presenter, Dr. Harvell wanted to share her time and expertise to encourage young women to consider the STEM fields for further study and exciting careers. After a motivational discussion about STEM and the marine environment, Dr. Harvell led students in an experiment demonstrating the effects of ocean acidification.
American Spaces connect the world to the United States by being inviting, open access learning and gathering places. Established in the Suva City Carnegie Library in June 2023, American Corner Suva joins almost 600 American Spaces worldwide that promote interaction with local communities around shared values such as education, employment, and entrepreneurship. Other American Spaces located in the Pacific include: American Corner Lautoka, American Corner Tonga, American Corner Tuvalu, and American Corner Kiribati. For more information on American Spaces, please visit: https://fj.usembassy.gov/