Science for humanity ... and equality

The Science Ambassador Scholarship offers a full ride for women studying science, technology, engineering, or math.

Cards Against Humanity, the self-proclaimed “party game for horrible people” that was invented in part by Eliot Weinstein, AB’11, introduced a Science Pack in 2015. This expansion set, whose question and answer cards cover everything from astrophysics to biology, was written with the help of Phil Plait, EX’87, from Bad Astronomy and Zach Weinersmith from Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal.

The pack sells for $10, and it’s more than just an opportunity to drop “super massive black hole” or “the quiet majesty of the sea turtle” into the game—all profits go toward the Science Ambassador Scholarship, which offers full college tuition to women planning to major in a STEM (science, technology, engineering, or math) field. The scholarship is open to high school seniors and undergraduates who will attend college in the United States, though the applicants need not be US citizens.

To apply, women are asked to make a video explaining a STEM topic of their choice, not necessarily in the field they hope to pursue. This is where the “ambassador” part comes in—the ability to convey to others the science they’re passionate about. The Cards Against Humanities team emphasizes the video should be a mini lecture, not a personal statement.

A panel of more than 70 professional women in STEM judges the applications and awards the scholarship to at least one future scientist, engineer, or mathematician each year. (Additional scholarships may be awarded depending on how well the Science Packs have sold that year.) As of this writing, proceeds for 2017 were up to $1,180,578.

This year’s application deadline is December 11, 2017, at midnight central standard time.