Women in STEM
Ocean Isle Museum Foundation recognizes women working in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics careers and encourages a new generation of STEM leaders.
STEM is for women, too. That is the message the Ocean Isle Museum Foundation is communicating to schoolgirls and young women. Women can excel in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics when encouraged to pursue those careers. The Museum Foundation promoted its initiative at a breakfast event called Inspiring Women in STEM on March 19 in the Sea Trail Convention Center.
Jim Hoffman, executive director of the foundation, opened the program with the foundation’s mission: To inspire curiosity about our coastal environment and the broader natural universe through experiences that are educational, science-based, fun and interactive. Its vision, he added, is to encourage an understanding of the environment and astronomy. The foundation includes the Museum of Coastal Carolina in Ocean Isle Beach and Ingram Planetarium in Sunset Beach.
“When Jamie (director of programs and exhibits) approached me with the idea to pursue this initiative, I knew pretty quickly that it was something we should implement,” Hoffman said. “As we’ve spoken to people in the community and professionals in the museum industry who are implementing similar programs, it’s clear young women are looking for positive support as they pursue their dreams.”
He introduced members of the staff as Bold Women in STEM:
• Jamie Justice, marine biologist, director of programs and exhibits at the museum
• Amity Croft, biologist, education assistant
• Cami Herrin, technologist, presenter at the planetarium
• Chloe Bessette, planetarium assistant, studying space architecture at Cape Fear Community College in Wilmington
• Rebecca Gaskins, mathematician, planetarium manager
Justice explained that in 2025 the Association of Science and Technology Centers contacted the museum to participate in the IF/THEN Champions Network, which is associated with the National Girls Collaborative. The IF/THEN initiative is a nationwide effort to advance women innovators in STEM fields and inspire the next generation of girls. Its mantra is “If we support a woman in STEM, then she can change the world.”
The National Girls Collaborative Project states that in 2010 women held 24 percent of U.S. STEM jobs. In 2025 it reached from 34 to 35 percent. The gap in pay for men and women remains wide, especially in engineering positions. STEM positions can pay anywhere from 6 to 20 percent less for women. One reason given is that women are less likely to negotiate a salary.
With its involvement in the IF/THEN initiative, the museum is entitled to resources, Justice said. As a result, she requested three exhibits, which are now displayed in the Paul Dennis Science Hall at the planetarium. One exhibit highlights Jessica Esquivel, a particle psychist; another, Ana Maria Porras, biomedical engineer; and the third, Jasmine Sadler, an aerospace engineer.
“These exhibits are self-explanatory,” Gaskins said. “They are designed to be explored through play. People can figure out how they work and what to do with them. People tend to learn more and be more open to learning when they are having fun.”
To confirm its commitment to encourage women to pursue STEM, the foundation presented Carmel Zetts with the Louise Ingram Coastal Caretaker Award for her dedication to preserving the local environment. Zetts, coordinator of the Sunset Beach Sea Turtle Watch program, joined the program in 1993 and became its coordinator around 1997.
Zetts learned that the program needed volunteers to look for sea turtle nests.
“I saw tracks on the sand that looked like a bulldozer came out of the water,” she said.
She learned from her predecessor, Minnie Hunt, that prints were those of sea turtles. She accompanied Hunt and followed the tracks, looked for the sea turtle eggs, covered them up and marked the spot.
“That was exciting in itself,” Zetts said. “When you see those little creatures hatch and come out of the sand, you’re hooked.”
Zetts, 86, has received numerous awards for her dedication to the environment, including the Order of the Long Leaf Pine, an award presented by the governor of North Carolina.
When presented with the Coastal Caretaker Award, she said, “I didn’t think I should be honored for anything I do because I do it out of love.”
“What is inspiring about Carmel Zetts is that she’s been around a long time and has probably jumped through hoops,” Justice said. “She shows this can be accomplished.”
The guest speaker at the breakfast was sea turtle biologist Dr. Christine Figgener, who explained her work with sea turtles and her passion for preserving them. She signed copies of her book My Life with Sea Turtles.
“A lot of girls haven’t seen women in STEM careers,” Justice said. “We set inspiration by showing them that women can be in these careers.”
For more information about Museum of Coastal Carolina and Ingram Planetarium, visit the website.
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