Brite began as a pilot in 2020 in partnership with the World Science Festival and The Hello Studios. During the World Science Festival in the summer of 2020, the program provided a high-quality, online suite of activities centered on collaborative learning with female role models.

After an intense evaluation process, NGCP revised Brite in 2021, which consisted of two courses: Art x Science, featuring role models and activities at the intersection of Art and Science, and Dream Big, Take Risks, featuring role models and activities that introduced girls to pioneering, multi-disciplinary careers in STEM.  

As of mid-2022, NGCP has continued to study STEM identity development through the Brite Program via a National Science Foundation award: BRITE Girls Online STEM Practices: Building Relevance and Identity to Transform Experiences, led by Florida State University.

What

Brite is an online*, interdisciplinary STEM program centered on hands-on and collaborative activities and daily interaction with diverse women STEM role models. Brite is offered by Smart Girls HQ, in partnership with the National Girls Collaborative Project (NGCP) through funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF).

The local Brite program is a collaboration between the Women In STEM (WISTEM) Center at MTSU, led by Dr. Judith Iriarte-Gross, Director - Department of Chemistry, and the South Sudanese Girls Empowerment Front (SSGEF) led by MTSU alum Nyaruot Kier Deng.

Brite will be offered as a three-week summer STEM program for 10-20 girls ages 13-16. The program will include virtual workshops showcasing role models and a field trip to MTSU. The program will be Monday - Thursday, 3 hours daily, from July 10 - July 27, 2023, featuring interdisciplinary themes re