At a Time When Women Hold Barely 25% of the Nation’s STEM Jobs, the National Nonprofit’s Summer Program Will Help Inspire Girls

Charlotte, NC – Project Scientist, a national nonprofit dedicated to providing girls with high-quality science, technology, engineering, arts, and math (STEAM) education, is excited to announce a $100,000 grant from Albemarle Foundation for a summer lab that will provide hands-on STEAM education to girls in the Charlotte area.

The initiative comes at a time when women make up nearly half of the U.S. workforce but hold only 26% of the jobs in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), according to the U.S. Department of Labor.

The Summer STEAM Lab will hosted June 23-27, 2025, and students will engage in interactive learning experiences including an exclusive tour hosted by Albermarle at the King Mountain Mine. Students will also have the opportunity to meet Albemarle scientists and employees—particularly women STEM professionals who can inspire the girls. Designed to foster curiosity, creativity, confidence, and critical thinking, the Summer STEAM Lab encourages students to think boldly and use scientific principles to create solutions for a better future.

This marks the second year Project Scientist and Albemarle have partnered on the program, underscoring Albemarle’s commitment to investing in Charlotte’s future by empowering the next generation of STEM leaders.

“Project Scientist thrives on transformative partnerships—collaborations that create lasting impact and inspire joy,” said Dr. Patrice S. Johnson, CEO of Project Scientist. “Albemarle exemplifies this commitment through their generous support of our students and a sustainable future. Their investment, both through their foundation and the dedication of their employees, strengthens our work and amplifies our shared impact.”

Alex Sexton, Albemarle's Treasury Director, echoed this sentiment, stating, “We are thrilled to continue our partnership with Project Scientist, where together we empower the next generation of innovators by fostering opportunities for young girls in STEM. Through our collaboration, we ignite potential and create a lasting impact for the girls in our community. Working with Project Scientist is so rewarding, and we find ourselves inspired by the girls’ curiosity, resilience, and drive to shape the future.”

About Project Scientist: Project Scientist is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit delivering high-quality experiences in science, technology, engineering, arts, and math (STEAM) to girls* from marginalized and underserved communities. Project Scientist offers summer and after-school programs in partnership with local schools, school districts, nonprofit organizations, and STEM Companies. All programs are offered in English and Spanish. Project Scientist has provided nearly 116,000 STEAM education experiences, impacting over 24,000 girls from communities across the United States and Mexico. Keep up with us on LinkedIn and Instagram.

*While Project Scientist programs are focused on students who identify as girls, the organization is committed to serving children of all gender identities and expressions.

About Albemarle: Albemarle Corporation (NYSE: ALB) is a global leader in transforming essential resources into critical ingredients for mobility, energy, connectivity and health. We partner to pioneer new ways to move, power, connect and protect with people and planet in mind. A reliable and high-quality global supply of lithium and bromine allows us to deliver advanced solutions for our customers. Learn more about how the people of Albemarle are enabling a more resilient world at Albemarle.com, LinkedIn and on X (formerly Twitter) @AlbemarleCorp.