On Friday, September 13, Faye O’Brien and Judy Marouf presented “From Disparity to Opportunity: Addressing the Gender Divide in STEM Fields” via Zoom. They discussed their work with Nvolve, a nonprofit organization founded in 2020 dedicated to increasing the participation of women in technology, engineering, life sciences, and health careers by overcoming gender, racial, and socioeconomic barriers. Nvolve operates virtually and is entirely volunteer-run, supported by a team of 100 volunteers.
Recently, Nvolve partnered with NOVA on a National Science Foundation (NSF)-funded project aimed at recruiting women and minorities into the biotech industry. The project is led by Professor Fernandez.
Faye O’Brien, the founder and director of the Nvolve Scholars Program, has been a mentor and role model for many female NOVA STEM students since 2016. Originally from Iran, Faye’s career spans over 30 years, including roles as a statistician, clinical study leader, research publisher, and executive in multinational companies before retiring.
Judy Marouf, a spring 2024 NOVA graduate with associate degrees in computer science and business, is the outgoing president of NOVA’s Women in STEM Club, which has over 270 members. She is also an Nvolve Scholar and is currently attending George Washington University, majoring in computer science with minors in business and management.
The 2023 NSF study on diversity in STEM, which included data through 2021, revealed a significant gender disparity. The study examined the U.S. labor force population ages 18 to 74. While the total labor force is split evenly between men and women, the STEM workforce is 65% male and 35% female. The gap is wider in science and engineering, where 72% of employees are men. Even with equal education, men in science and engineering earn a median salary of $100,000, compared to $75,000 for women.
“We are committed to empowering women to pursue careers in STEM,” Faye explained. “We work with our academic and industry partners to address gender, racial, and socioeconomic barriers by offering structured mentoring, professional skill-building, and experiential learning opportunities that prepare students for life after graduation.”
Nvolve is currently seeking recommendations and nominations from college faculty and staff for its program. The organization admits college sophomores and juniors, who typically stay in the program for three to six semesters until they graduate. Nvolve is a multi-year program, and once admitted, students remain for two to three years until they complete their bachelor’s degree.
To date, Nvolve has admitted 105 students and awarded over 220 stipends and scholarships. Seventeen percent of participants are from NOVA.
Students are required to attend mentoring sessions twice a month and complete a semester-long tech or science project. The program also includes weekly leadership development “huddles,” which feature instructional sessions, group discussions, honors seminars, workshops, or guest speakers. These mentoring sessions focus on setting STEM goals, developing leadership skills, and solving STEM-related problems.
Reflecting on her experience, Judy said, “The weekly cohort huddles are the heartbeat of the Nvolve program. Two topics that especially resonated with me were perfectionism and time management because I’ve struggled with both. After completing the curriculum, I noticed a big improvement in those areas.”
Judy also appreciated the variety of topics covered, such as artificial intelligence, project management fundamentals, salary negotiation, and assertive communication. She credited her mentor with helping her craft a resume, expand her network, and guide her through her undergraduate journey.
“I love that Nvolve pairs us with someone who stays with us throughout our entire undergraduate experience,” she said. “It truly feels easier when you have someone to rely on.”
In addition to the mentorship, Judy completed several projects, including a podcast series on computational chemistry, creating an AI chatbot, and developing websites.
Applications for the spring 2025 cohort are now open, offering more students the opportunity to join this impactful initiative. For more information, visit www.nvolveme.org.