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Thank You for
Supporting IGNITE!

There are many ways you can help inspire girls* in STEM! Volunteer opportunities include speaking as a Panelist, serving as Facilitator, Tech Host, or Language Translator for virtual events; or capturing the inspiration as an IGNITE Event Recorder!

Each role involves training to help make sure IGNITE Students – and you – have the best experience possible. Please read the event and role descriptions carefully. All Panelists are required to review our Panelist Training Video once per school year and attend a Virtual Panelist Coaching Session before their first panel.

IGNITE Worldwide is the answer to achieving gender equity in STEM. IGNITE works directly with educators to connect girls* with STEM opportunities during the school day. Our award-winning Program offers a variety of interactive events featuring STEM professionals** who represent IGNITE Students.

*We serve girls, young women, nonbinary, transgender, agender, and genderqueer students.
**We encourage women, nonbinary, transgender, agender, and genderqueer volunteers.

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Host IGNITE Students at Your Company

Hosting an IGNITE field trip allows girls to see STEM in action and learn about the variety of careers in STEM. This experience is also a great way to build community at your company and raise awareness about gender equity!

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Frequently Asked Questions

  1. Subscribe to our volunteer mailing list so you learn about upcoming volunteer opportunities!
  2. Sign up to volunteer at an IGNITE event! Please view the opportunities on this page and sign up to volunteer at an event that works best with your schedule. We have panelist, facilitator, tech host, translator, and blogger roles available. After you sign up, IGNITE will be in touch with you to confirm. 
  3. If you have signed up for a panelist role at an IGNITE event, review our 10-minute Panelist Training Video once per school year  and sign up for a live, interactive 1-hour Virtual Panelist Coaching Session if you have not attended one in the past. Coaching sessions are offered several times per month. These requirements must be met at least 4 days before your event. The training and coaching is mandatory for panelists and provides important context, tips, and practice around how to best share information with students. 

Panelist Coaching Sessions are only for panelists who are currently signed up to be on an upcoming panel. All of these upcoming panelists, including past IGNITE panelists, must attend a live, interactive 1-hour Panelist Coaching Session if they have not attended an IGNITE panelist coaching session in the past. The Panelist Coaching Session is virtual and offered several times a month. The coaching provides important context, tips, and practice around how to best share information with students. 

IGNITE panels are life-changing opportunities for girls to connect directly with women in STEM careers and learn about their experiences. Panels take place at local schools, virtually or in-person, or as part of an IGNITE field trip or workshop.

At the beginning of the event, a panel facilitator (either the IGNITE teacher at the school or IGNITE volunteer) will take 10 minutes to introduce girls to the issue of the gender gap in STEM fields. 

For the first half of the panel, each speaker will take about 3 minutes to tell their story. This includes their journey to a STEM career, obstacles overcome, and what their job is now. Please be sure to take our 10-minute training to prepare for this part of the panel. 

The second half of the panel is a Q&A discussion with the girls! They will ask some amazing questions, which often leads to deeper discussions about gender equity in STEM.

Panels take place during the academic year (August to June) during the school day. 

Panels are held at middle and high schools with IGNITE chapters. Panels may also be part of a company field trip or workshop. 

Feel free to wear whatever you normally would, casual or business is fine. 

A few days in advance of your panel, the IGNITE teacher or an IGNITE staff member will contact all speakers with detailed arrival instructions and reminders. If you would like to connect with your fellow panelists before that time, please let us know!

Each panelist will need to incorporate 1-2 physical visual aids for both in-person and virtual panels to help students get to know you and your job!

For in-person events, if you plan on needing access to a projector display, please let IGNITE know in advance so we can communicate this with the IGNITE teacher.

It is great that you found your place in STEM despite following a nontraditional path! However, it is increasingly more competitive and difficult to do this (and to move around once you have a career). If you were a teenager today, what advice would you give yourself about preparing for a future STEM career? We want to encourage students to develop technical skills now. For example, a 2-year STEM degree could make an incredible difference in creating an attainable future!

For grades 8 and under, it is best to focus on the girls’ immediate futures. What classes would you suggest they take in high school? What other activities can they be involved in to help sharpen their technical skills? 

We would love to connect with you to answer your questions. Please email contactus@ignite-worldwide.org and we will get back to you as soon as possible.