Jehan Idsassi builds STEM Up to expand girls’ access to science

Jehan Idsassi, a University of Maryland student and founder of STEM Up, is turning her scientific training and personal experience with underrepresentation into a platform for girls in STEM. Her nonprofit now spans 16 team members, a University of Maryland chapter, and outreach in Morocco and the U.S.

Why it matters: - Jehan Idsassi is using her role as a student scientist and nonprofit leader to widen access to STEM for girls who do not often see themselves represented in science. - STEM Up combines mentorship, workshops, and educational resources, aiming to make science feel more reachable for young women in the U.S. and abroad. - Her work connects representation, education, and leadership, which gives the mission a real-world impact beyond campus and social media visibility.

What happened: - Idsassi, a rising junior at the University of Maryland, College Park, is pursuing a dual degree in neuroscience and history on the pre-medicine track. - She founded and leads STEM Up, a national nonprofit created during the COVID-19 pandemic. - STEM Up now has a 16-member team with members in Morocco and across multiple U.S. institutions. - Idsassi also established a STEM Up chapter at the University of Maryland, College Park. - She plans to launch additional STEM Up chapters at other U.S. institutions.

The details: - Idsassi is a first-generation college student of Moroccan immigrant heritage with Indigenous Amazigh roots. - She participates in the GEMSTONE Honors Program. - Her academic and research interests include immunology, neurobiology, regenerative medicine, and physician-scientist training. - At the University of Maryland, College Park, she works on immunology and stem cell research focused on TGF-B signaling and priming techniques for mesenchymal stem cell therapies. - Her lab experience includes qPCR, flow cytometry, and cell culture. - Through GEMSTONE, she is part of a team studying PACAP eye drops versus intravenous PACAP in a mouse model of glaucoma. - STEM Up provides mentorship and educational resources for girls in STEM. - Idsassi has led educational toolkit workshops at the Islamic Community Center of Laurel and in Afella Ighir, Morocco. - She hosted the first international educational toolkit drive in Morocco in her grandmother’s village. - Her advocacy has also included speaking engagements and White House-related experiences. - She serves as founder and host of the Medicine 101 Podcast and is involved in student organizations including Al-Maghreb United. - She has also discussed her advice for young women: stay true to themselves, prioritize well-being, seek support, and ask for help. - She credits God, her faith, her mother, her family, her Moroccan and Amazigh heritage, and mentors including professors and principal investigators for shaping her path.

Between the lines: - Idsassi’s story shows how representation can become strategy, not just identity. - Her emphasis on quality over quantity suggests she is trying to build a durable nonprofit, not just a résumé line. - Her focus on mentorship and community also reflects a broader reality in STEM: access often depends as much on guidance and encouragement as on talent. - Her cross-border outreach in Morocco signals that she sees the problem as global, not local.

What’s next: - Idsassi says she wants to keep expanding STEM Up through new university chapters and broader outreach. - She plans to continue supporting girls and women internationally, especially those facing barriers to education and opportunity. - Her immediate path also includes continuing her coursework, research, and pre-med training as she works toward becoming a physician-scientist.

The bottom line: - Idsassi is pairing scientific ambition with community advocacy, using STEM Up to help girls picture themselves in fields where they are still underrepresented. - Her message is simple: resilience, mentorship, and access can change who gets to imagine a future in science.