UC alum creates platform to encourage young women in STEM
Madelyn Leembruggen, now at Harvard, seeks to inspire next gen interest in physics
By Rebecca Schweitzer
Madelyn Leembruggen has long excelled in STEM-related subjects, with the study coming naturally to her. The alumna of UC’s College of Arts and Sciences graduated Phi Beta Kappa with a 4.0 in 2018, with degrees in physics, astrophysics and mathematics.
Leembruggen has long been aware of the lack of representation of women role models for young girls interested in pursuing their STEM passions. Now a PhD candidate in theoretical physics at Harvard, Leembruggen set out to help inspire the next generation of women in STEM.
Toward that end, she and a group of mostly female graduate students at Harvard have created a STEM focused website, “A World of Women in STEM (WOWSTEM): Celebrating women+ STEM heroes of past, present and future.” Directed to women interested in the fields of science, technology, engineering and math, the site designates its audience as "women+," to be inclusive of all women and gender minority individuals.
A&S physics, astrophysics and mathematics alumna Madelyn Leembruggen
“We want to spark discussions about STEM in homes, as parents watch videos with their kids or do experiments and activities together. We want to encourage future STEMists to pursue their interests. More than anything, we want to inspire curiosity and a lifelong love of science and math in the next generation of students, and especially in young women+.”
The initial idea was for an accelerated summer course for high school students, but when this was cancelled due to COVID-19, Leembruggen’s friends motivated her to develop this learning platform. Today the site includes blog posts featuring women pioneers in STEM such as Shirley Ann Jackson, the first Black woman to earn a PhD from MIT, articles and activities on observational astronomy, ancient math and measuring star speeds, and a community forum.
Inspired as an undergrad
During her time in A&S, Leembruggen volunteered with Physics Department initiatives and at physics demonstration events for high schoolers as well as serving as an A&S Ambassador.
“I most appreciated the liberal arts education I received at A&S,” Leembruggen said. “I was actively encouraged to take classes outside my major throughout my degrees. This gave me an appreciation for how the physical sciences, social sciences, and humanities depend on one another and prepared me well for the interdisciplinary work I do now.”
"We want to inspire curiosity"
A&S alumna Madelyn Leembruggen and the board of WOWSTEM
According to Leembruggen, a large number of influential women and minorities in scientific history go unrecognized for their work. Through the website, she hopes to help others to learn about these individuals and their contributions in STEM, as well as reach young individuals with a passion for the field.
“Our goal for WOW STEM was always to create a space where people can get excited about STEM,” Leembruggen said. “Online spaces for learning have become increasingly important, but we also hope that our site will have more far-reaching impacts.
“To me, WOW STEM has been an effort to make the kind of content that I would have loved to see when I was a young girl,” she added. “It’s been immensely rewarding for me to collaborate with the members of our board and our contributors. This project means a lot to all of us and it’s exhilarating to do big things with amazing people.”
Related Stories
UC’s student newspaper names Hajra Munir as new editor-in-chief
May 9, 2025
As a young girl, Hajra Munir, a second-year law and society major, had a passion for writing. “I was always writing,” Munir said. “Whether it was in a journal, writing stories or writing poetry.” But Munir wasn’t sure how she could use her writing skills beyond her love for it, until she watched her brother join the student newspaper at Walnut Hills High School and decided to join him. Since then, journalism has become an integral part of her life. “I started news writing, and I absolutely loved it,” Munir said. “I felt like I could be who I wanted to be, and I felt like this is what I want to do, this is what I love. Journalism has made me such a more confident person, and I wouldn’t be where I am without writing, without starting my love for journalism.” Now, going into her third year at UC, Munir will serve as The News Record’s (TNR) next editor-in-chief for the 2025-2026 school year. TNR is UC’s student run news organization, where students themselves have opportunities to report on an array of topics, from breaking campus news to entertainment and lifestyle.
Preparing students for artificial intelligence in education
May 8, 2025
Laurah Turner, PhD, associate dean for artificial intelligence and educational informatics at the University of Cincinnati's College of Medicine, recently joined the For The Love of EdTech podcast to discuss the usage of personalized learning and AI coaches to enhance educational experiences.
UC lab-on-a-chip devices take public health into home
May 8, 2025
University of Cincinnati engineers created a new device to help doctors diagnose depression and anxiety. The “lab-on-a-chip” device measures the stress hormone cortisol from a patient’s saliva. Knowing if a patient has elevated stress hormones can provide useful diagnostic information even if patients do not report feelings of anxiety, stress or depression in a standard mental health questionnaire.