The Stories of Women in Fluids: Science, Identity, and Storytelling

Well-told stories have the power to ignite curiosity, reframe perspectives, and change lives. The Stories of Women in Fluids (SOWIF) Initiative is an effort to recruit and retain femme-identifying individuals, especially women of color, in the field of fluid dynamics through the power of storytelling. In this presentation, we celebrate two anthologies published in November 2025, which reflect and amplify a breadth of voices, career paths, and passions of women in our field. The first book, Persevere, Survive & Thrive: Hard-won Wisdom from Women in Science, is a frank collection of career narratives across a wide range of career stages. These personal essays illustrate the cultural, social, and institutional dynamics that shape scientific trajectories while honoring the authors' resilience, resourcefulness, and creativity. The second book, For All the Curious Girls: Stories of Wonder, Exploration, and Scientific Discovery, invites readers ages 8-12 into the world of fluid mechanics through 'scientific storytelling,' a genre we helped develop, in which researchers braid personal stories into scientific research, inviting young readers to see themselves in these chapters. This presentation will discuss the origin of SOWIF, highlight excerpts from both books, and outline the process and purpose behind storytelling in fluid dynamics, demonstrating how lived experience linked to science can broaden participation, encourage community, and sustain the next generation of researchers in physics.