The students in YESS have been privileged for the past few years to have a team, under the direction of Dr. Nalini Nadkarni, forest ecology professor from the University of Utah, come to the facilities to bring science experiences. They were most recently at Gemstone working with the girls on ways the students can be empowered to impact ecological changes.
Dr. Nadkarni has been an advocate for students who are interested in science to pursue those interests, especially girls. She has worked with National Geographic and Mattel Toys to create a line of Scientific Barbie dolls. This is a link to a recent article about Dr. Nadkarni. We are so fortunate to have established a rapport with her.