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Welcome to ASKNu

This website aims to be a general hub and resource for Alpha Sigma Kappa Nu at UCF. It contains generalized inforomation on ASKNu, women’s history, community events, scholarships, advice, and more. This website is not only a resource for those directly involved, but for students who may want to be a part of ASKNu and don’t know where to start.

Alpha Sigma Kappa is a sorority for women in technical studies, commonly referred to as STEM. ASK was initially formed in the 1980s as a continuation of the sorority The Little Sisters of the Triangle. Their aim is to support women in technical fields – both academically and socially. The sorority is now involved with 15 different universities, with UCF’s chapter beginning in 2018.

The back of a woman wearing a lab coat and low ponytail, standing in a lab.
Black woman setting up a microscope slide with tweezers.
A white woman holding a tablet.
Top down photo of a wooden desk with a succulent plant, notes, a newspaper, and a calculator on it.
Health Science
A black screen filled with multi-colored lines of code.
White woman with long hair holding up and looking at a beaker filled with a green liquid.

Latest in STEM

Women in STEM: Representation Matters
White woman with short hair wearing a lab coat and goggles, piping solution into a small tray.

This article was written by Laurie Locasio and goes over her history within STEM. This article provides insight into her upbringing and the significance of women in STEM. This is shown through facts and personal experiences; it is a wonderful read for anyone who wants to know about the growing presence of women in STEM fields.

“Growing up as a scientist, I did not see role models who looked like me. I grew up in a small town where my father was a physicist — and my role model.  He nurtured me to be a scientist just like him. I am so grateful he did not have different expectations for me and my brothers…”

A white woman working on a machine wearing lab goggles and a white hard hat.

This article discusses UNESCO’s recent campaign, “Imagine a World with More Women in Science”. This campaign aims to bring attention to the gender gap within science. Discussing the missed innovations and opportunities, UNESCO’s campaign brings attention to the significance of women in STEM.

“This campaign demonstrates the essential role women play in driving progress in science and calls on the global community to not only envision, but also work towards, a more gender-balanced scientific community where every voice is heard…”

A young black girl in a classroom and wearing lab goggles.

This website offers great insight into the current state of STEM for women. NGCP aims to be a website for women in STEM to become more connected and involved in STEM. The sense of community provided through a website like this can be incredibly valuable, especially with the emphasis on web based learning.

“We are a network of networks. The National Girls Collaborative Project (NGCP) brings together organizations committed to informing and encouraging girls to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). NGCP connects, creates, and collaborates with advocates for transformative change to advance the agenda in gender equity and expand girls’ participation in STEM. For 20 years, we have been transforming STEM.”

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History of Notable Women in STEM

Black and white photo of Katherine Johnson working at her desk in NASA.

Katherine Johnson

Katherine Johnson was a mathematician who worked at NASA. She used her analysis of flight paths to improve safety and help send astronauts to the moon. The intricacy with which she worked despite the lack of technology at the time is continually praised. She was one of the first African-American women to work at NASA. She sadly passed in 2020.

Susan Kare

Susan Kare is an iconographer who worked at Apple and developed typefaces and Macintosh computer logos. She is now the creative director at Pinterest and her work is still constantly used. Her influence is vast considering the everyday use of typefaces such as New York, Chicago, and Geneva.

Black and white photo of Susan Kare looking hopeful, off into the distance, with her hands loosely clasped together.
Black and white photo of Rosalind Franklin looking down into a microscope.

Rosalind Franklin

Rosalind Franklin was a British chemist who made major discoveries which pushed towards discovering DNA’s molecular structure. She was discredited at the time, but is world renowned today. She died in 1958. Without her, the DNA model as we know it today would not exist.

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