Tuesday, December 16, 2014

Staying in STEM: Nurturing a Career Path for Girls

Did you know that jobs in STEM make up the second fastest growing job sector in the next 10 years? More reason for us to help girls and young women stay in STEM. Check out the infographic below which outlines why it is hard to keep girls and young women in STEM, and how we can encourage them to stay.


Monday, December 8, 2014

Why Women Are Opting Out of STEM

More and more qualified, intelligent women are opting out of working in STEM, according to Catalyst’s latest research. These women are taking their talents elsewhere and we need to start asking why.

The global study of MBA graduates found that just 18 percent of women opted for a business role in a technology-intensive industry, compared to 24 percent of men. Additionally, over half of women (53 percent) who started out in a business role in a tech industry left to take a position in another industry, compared to just 31 percent of men.


Even though they have the exact same level of education as their male colleagues, women are more likely to start in entry-level positions and are therefore paid less, according to the study. And, a problem in tech-intensive industries is that women remain in the minority throughout the pipeline, which can lead to feelings of alienation. With fewer female role models than other industries and fewer senior women to serve as sponsors, the feeling of being an outside affects access to development opportunities and ultimately career aspirations.

In addition, from the “brogrammer” culture in high-tech firms to the “Old Boys’ Club” in oil and gas, automotive and manufacturing, women are faced with a culture of exclusivity that can be difficult to break in to. Catalyst asked for advice from women working in the field: One said she tells young women to use a black coffee mug because it doesn’t show lipstick marks, and another,  said she tells young women not to bring notebooks to meetings because people will assume they’re secretaries.

So, these talented women look at these industries, realize they’ll be the only woman in the room and turn elsewhere. To make STEM more attractive to women, organizations need to ensure that companies are sponsoring promising women, making performance criteria transparent and concrete, while promoting flexible work options.

Tuesday, November 25, 2014

10 Quotes to Inspire You From Women in STEM

Here are inspirational quotes from 10 ladies with the world's coolest jobs in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), according to CNN.

Karen Nyberg, Astronaut
"When I was in high school, I was certain that being an astronaut was my goal. It was a very important time -- Sally Ride was making her first flight into space and she had a real impact on me. Those 'firsts' kind of stick in your head and really become inspirations for you."

Zaha Hadid, Architect
"I used to not like being called a 'woman architect.' I'm an architect, not just a woman architect. The guys used to tap me on the head and say 'you're OK for a girl.' But I see an incredible amount of need from other women for reassurance that it can be done, so I don't mind anymore."

Fabiola Gianotti, Higgs Boson Physicist
"This job is a great scientific adventure. But it's also a great human adventure. Mankind has made giant steps forward. However, what we know is really very, very little compared to what we still have to know."

Marissa Mayer, CEO of Yahoo (Former Engineer at Google)
"People ask me all the time: 'What is it like to be a woman at Google?' I'm not a woman at Google, I'm a geek at Google. And being a geek is just great. "I'm a geek, I like to code, I even like to use spreadsheets when I cook."



Nichelle Nichols, former NASA Ambassador and Actress
"Science is not a boy's game, it's not a girl's game. It's everyone's game. It's about where we are and where we're going. Space travel benefits us here on Earth. And we ain't stopped yet. There's more exploration to come."

Danica McKellar, Mathematician, Writer and Actress
"If you're beautiful, you're led to believe that you can't also be smart. But you can be fun and fit and social and be really smart. And the smarter you are, the more capable you'll be to handle whatever challenges come up in life."

Regina Agyare, Founder of software company Soronko Solutions
"When I was young I was very interested in science and technology, and my dad brought home the first computer. I played Pac Man and I was hooked! By learning to create technology, girls learn to speak up."

Weili Dai, Co-founder of Marvell Tech
"I believe every single woman could accomplish what I've accomplished."

Peta Clarke, Technical Lead at Black Girls Code
"Now we're in an age where technology is mandatory, and we wanted young girls to have this understanding and know how to build an app."

Dr. Sarah Parcak, Space Archaeologist
"When I was a kid we'd rent Indiana Jones movies on VHS tapes. It inspired a whole generation of scholars because we saw the excitement, and the passion, and the drama. What's amazing to me about archaeology is the stories are even better than what you see in a Hollywood movie."

Tuesday, November 11, 2014

#SmartIsBeautiful Campaign Encourages and Inspires Women in STEM

Recently, a group of female information technology executives introduced a brand new initiative designed to encourage women in technology to become mentors to young women interested in high-tech careers.

“Actions speak louder than words,” said Teresa Carlson, vice president for Amazon Web Services’ global public sector at FedTalks, according to FedScoop. “Today, we decided that, starting right now, starting right here, we’re going to adopt and mentor either one girl, one woman, one classroom, one school.”


She actually encouraged more than 1,000 members of the audience to commit to participating in the campaign as well by tweeting #SmartIsBeautiful. TrendsMap, which monitors trending topics on Twitter, tweeted that the slogan was trending after the announcement was first made last week.

Touching on some of the challenges of encouraging girls to pursue careers in STEM, Jennifer Sanchez, assistant director of the IT Customer Relationship and Management Division at the FBI, said, “Obviously women are underrepresented in the technical fields. We have to figure out how we can reach girls before they disengage.”

According to Carlson, while college women outnumber college men, women only make up about a quarter of the tech workforce. She also pointed to a project from the Bureau of Labor Statistics that predicts in 2020 there will be 1.4 million computer science jobs in the U.S. “We need to play catch up here in the U.S.,” she said.


Vicki Schmanske, vice president for IT and security solutions at Lockheed Martin Information Systems and Global Solutions, feels that for women who are already achieving at a high level in the tech world, it’s important to find a voice. “I see too many women in industry who try to change who they are to fit in,” she added. “I say be authentic because being yourself is very impactful.”

Monday, October 27, 2014

STEM Chat with Jaren Landen

STEM chat
STEM chat with Jaren Landen
October 27, 2014
Jaren Landen, Ph.D., Pfizer Global Research and Development, Director, Clinician, Global Innovative Pharma
The person who inspired me the most when I was growing up is my grandmother. She is a mother of six, grandmother of 20, great grandmother of five so far including my four, became a realtor at 55 and lied about her age to get her first job because she thought she was too old to work. At 93 years old, she is still working today and does not miss a beat. Keeping her mind and body active has been the greatest blessing to our family.

I had no idea I would be part of at least half a dozen major acquisitions and still with the same company I started with a dozen years ago in a field where the average employment is approximately two years, and in many cities like Cambridge you can change jobs and keep your parking space.

My dream project is to work on a team that impacts disease progression of Alzheimer's Disease.

The best advice I ever received was to do a great job at whatever you are doing today no matter what the task and the next great thing will come your way. I always worry but not too much about what is next because when colleagues/supervisors take note of a job well done and positive working relationships, the next opportunity always comes.

In my free time I am too boring to describe. Life is about soccer, baseball, softball game, swim meets, dance lessons, and playmates. Because I have chosen to have such a large family, work has become my hobby. It is the part of my life that I look forward to because it is for me filled with stimulating adult conversations about interesting cutting edge science topics and challenges.

If I had a one year sabbatical, I would take my entire family on a global health fellows tour. Pfizer offers a six month sabbatical to do amazing things throughout the world through an application process. My children are too young at the moment and it is hard to imagine a time when we could stop time and do something like this; however, I imagine it would offer extreme personal and professional growth. Now that I have stated this here, I am hoping to be held accountable to doing a fellowship at some point in the future.

My tools of the trade are interpersonal skills. Never underestimate that the key to getting anything done well is not how smart you are, but how well you work with others, manage others as appropriate, and are sensitive to the needs and pressures of others in the workplace. Likeability makes teams work harder towards a common goal and is more likely to lead to team success than a great idea alone.

I'm proud that I stayed in the workplace while having four children. I cannot underestimate how important staying in the workplace has been for me. This is such a personal decision. Although I will always have some regrets about never being in a mothers group or attending Gymboree class, my children are starting to understand what I do and the contributions that I have made in my workplace. I have taught them by example how to prioritize and develop time management skills. They have learned how to entertain themselves in the evenings or weekends during the occasional emergency work call. For me, staying in the work place has kept my knowledge in my field current in an ever changing science field, ensured that I maintained industry contacts, and developed a very powerful camaraderie among other working women in the industry.

I still hope to participate in an eMBA program.
© 2014 IIR Holdings, LTD. All Rights Reserved.

Wednesday, October 15, 2014

5 Ways You Can Make an Impact on the Women in STEM Initiative


The Boston Women in STEM Idea Exchange Summit is just a week away and we want YOU to get involved in this exciting initiative. This is your time to inspire, engage, discuss and change the future of the STEM workforce.

The Women in STEM Idea Exchange Summit - Boston - October 21, 2014 at the Center for Women and Business Bentley University. Brings together companies struggling to fill their STEM job pipelines with female college students pursuing STEM degrees. It is designed to facilitate closing the gap between corporate needs for a STEM-enabled workforce and student questions about job prospects that align their passion with the needs of corporate America. Download the brochure for full program details: http://bit.ly/1mV2Hl4

Here are 5 ways you can have an impact on the Women in STEM initiative:

1)     Students, Get Published. We are looking for a student or multiple students in the Boston area to write an executive summary of the Women in Exchange Idea Summit in Boston later this month. Your responsibility would be to write a summary of the sessions you attend to provide valuable perspective to other students. What’s in it for you? Outside of attending the event for free, your writing will be published on our website! Send all inquiries to Ali Saland at asaland@iirusa.com

2)     Tweet and Win a Free Pass! Fans and followers of The Women in STEM Idea Exchange Summits are invited to enter the Tweet & Win Contest by following @WISExchange and tweeting tips about how to become successful in STEM with the hashtag #STEMTips to win a complimentary pass to The Women in Exchange Idea Summit. Learn more here: http://bit.ly/1CHnZqe

3)      Share Your Story. Share yours or someone else’s story about persisting and making a difference in STEM fields. Our My Story, My Advice Project features Women in STEM that are persisting in STEM fields and making a difference. It also gives their personal advice to the next generation of young women looking for encouragement to persist in STEM. Learn more here: http://bit.ly/1nRMwFV

4)      Get Social. Start a discussion on one or more of our Women in STEM Exchange social media communities including LinkedIn: http://linkd.in/1rMWqbj Twitter: http://bit.ly/1uE2uVZ and Facebook: http://on.fb.me/1BBEwJR

5)      Attend The Women in STEM Idea Exchange Summit.  Become part of the solution; meet and network, recruit, share and feed the pipelines. Register today: http://bit.ly/1r1ZkUq

Also, check out our monthly STEM Chat Newsletter that features the amazing women of STEM: http://bit.ly/1tZ9YT2

Looking forward to seeing you at the Summit!

Cheers,
The Women in STEM Exchange Summits Team
#WISBoston
@WISExchange
Steamacceleratorblog.iirusa.com


Friday, October 3, 2014

See Why These Companies are Attending The Women in STEM Idea Exchange Summit

In case you haven’t heard, The Women in STEM Idea Exchange Summit is taking place next month and we couldn’t be more excited to be able to take part in changing the future of the STEM workforce.  100+ individuals including HR Representatives, Corporate Social Responsibility, Diversion and Inclusion teams, Talent and Acquisition representatives, Scientists, Engineers, Mathematicians and Tech Professionals and College students will come together to share what they’ve learned, engage with the next generation of STEM women and drive change.

Download the brochure for full program details: http://bit.ly/1uHbNEv

Here’s Why Companies are Investing in the Women In STEM Idea Exchange Summit:
  • Senior management is attending to show their support of this effort

  • Find ideas at the summit that will help us build on the existing formal and informal activities

  • Learn best practices for encouraging leadership of women in STEM

  • Increase the community role for our organization

  • To identify topics that resonate for personal development

  • Hear case studies that will serve as best practice for my organization

  • Identify candidates for continued networking beyond the summit

What are you waiting for?  Make your mark within the STEM community by attending The Women In STEM Idea Exchange Summit next month in Boston and you will impact change in your organization and community.

Here is just a sample of companies participating:

Northeastern University
Fidelity Investments
Sage Cloud
Knewton
Liberty Mutual Insurance Co
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
STEM-SMART
Pro Search Inc
Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems
Princeton University
Idexx Laboratories
Pearson
Bristol-Myers Squibb
BattelleED
Dassault Systèmes
Covidien
MIT
The Center for STEM Education, Northeastern University
Xerox
Tata Consultancy
STEMConnector
Pfizer
Hanscom Air Force Base
Bentley University
Draper Laboratory
Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering
PAREXEL International
Shire
All that’s missing is YOU: gain inside knowledge from leaders who have already diversified their STEM workforce, meet and recruit recent graduate women, investor in mentorship, share your story of inspiration and learn best practices in smart STEM investing.

Become part of a movement to change the future of America. Join us.

Mention code STEM14BL & Save $100 off the standard rate. Register today: http://bit.ly/1vEjE3Q

Check out our monthly STEM Chat Newsletter that features the amazing women of STEM: http://bit.ly/1tZ9YT2

Looking forward to seeing you at the Summit!

Cheers,

The Women in STEM Exchange Summits Team
#WomeninSTEM
@WISExchange
Steamacceleratorblog.iirusa.com

Monday, September 29, 2014

STEM Chat with Alisha Sarag-Sieminski

STEM chat
STEM chat with Alisha Sarang-Sieminski
September 29 2014
Alisha Sarang-Sieminski, Associate Professor of Bioengineering, Director of SCOPE, Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering
If I could tell a young woman pursuing STEM one thing it would be that when you feel the small slights that happen, or you flinch just a little bit about the way someone says something (sexist), or you feel like your knowledge is questioned, it's not just you. It's part of a larger system and other people experience it too. And other people notice it. You are not alone. And though this may not resonate with you yet, tuck it away somewhere for later when you start to question whether you belong here. And then find yourself some really good allies.

My dream project is to grow really awesome tissue-based models for testing pharmaceuticals and medical devices.

The best advice I ever received was to (this is going to sound cliché) just try things and to believe in myself. Starting from that place helps keep all the little voices in my head telling me I can't do something or I shouldn't do something a little quieter. And takes me in some amazing directions.

I lead by a combination of benevolent dictatorship and consensus. What brings these together is finding the win-win for people as much as possible and being transparent about my motives and constraints. While I'm the one in charge, I also think that all the stakeholders need to be heard.

I'm proud that I have followed my heart and instincts about decisions I have made in my life. There's inevitably a lot of work at every step to make things happen, but leading from my gut has taken me places I wouldn't have expected and has always done me right.

© 2014 IIR Holdings, LTD. All Rights Reserved.

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Tuesday, September 23, 2014

It’s Time: Energize Your STEM Initiatives Next Month in Boston

The start of a new school year is a fresh start to energize your STEM initiatives.

Your future STEM talent pipeline begins at the Women in STEM Idea Exchange Summit - Boston - October 21, 2014 at the Center for Women and Business Bentley University.  Download the brochure for full program details: http://bit.ly/XUl4dV

Engage with major corporations, leading educators, top policy makers, students and other catalysts who are actively working to fill jobs now and advance women into the STEM workforce.

Women in Stem Agenda Highlights include:
  • Featured Presentation: The New Frontier of Engaging Men as Full Partners in the Advancement of Women | Center for Women and Business, Bentley University
  • Panel: Strategies for Leveraging Partnerships Between Key Stakeholders: Business, Government, Education and Philanthropy | BattelleED, Dassault Systèmes, Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems, MIT
  • Best Practices in Developing, Scaling & Sustaining Mentor Programs that Deliver Results | STEMconnector™
  • Smart STEM Investing: What to Measure |  Tata Consultancy
  • Broadening the Breadth of the STEM Workforce Through Racial and Ethnic Diversity | STEM-SMART.org
  • Panel Discussion: Employee Engagement: Programs that Work to Engage and Retain Women in STEM | Northeastern University, Draper Laboratory , Hanscom Air force,Pfizer Clinical Research and Development
  • Xerox Women in STEM: A Passage to the Future | Xerox
  • Panel Discussion: Future of the American workforce: how to recruit and retain talent in the new generation of STEM graduates |  Fidelity Investments,  Parexel, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, Covidien
  • The STEM Exchange | These exchanges are designed to help students evaluate career options and assist companies in identifying local emerging talents for mentoring, internship and recruitment programs.

Download the full brochure for more information: http://bit.ly/XUl4dV

Participate in this unique opportunity to create your future STEM workforce.Learn more and join the movement. Register today: http://bit.ly/1qpWKr2

Check out our monthly STEM Chat Newsletter that features the amazing women of STEM: http://bit.ly/1tZ9YT2

Looking forward to seeing you at the Summit!

Cheers,
The Women in STEM Exchange Summits Team
#WomeninSTEM
@WISExchange
Steamacceleratorblog.iirusa.com



Monday, September 15, 2014

STEM Chat with Claire Duggan

STEM chat
STEM chat with Claire Duggan
September 15, 2014
Claire Duggan, Director for Programs and Operations, The Center for STEM Education, Northeastern University
If I could tell a young woman pursuing STEM one thing it would be – seek out female mentors pursing STEM pathways – teachers/neighbors/family members.

To me, a successful woman is someone that knows themselves, pursue their passions, but never forgets to make time for the people they come in contact with personally and professionally

In high school, I wish I had known more STEM professionals and/or had the opportunity to participate in stem research experience – especially in engineering. I had no knowledge of the field and career pathways available when I was in high school.

The very next thing on my to do list is to commit to paper several ideas I have for new STEM K-12 educational efforts.

The best way to unwind after a long day is is to play with my grandchildren.

If I had a one year sabbatical I would travel around the world and visit schools/classrooms to see firsthand how we are educating children across the globe - then move to build collaborations and accelerate the sharing of best practices.

The biggest misconception about women in stem is they are all the same

I'm proud that I have helped with the development and implementation of multiple STEM education initiatives and now am supporting young students and faculty seeking to engage in this work.

© 2014 IIR Holdings, LTD. All Rights Reserved.

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Tuesday, September 9, 2014

12 Organizations for Women in STEM

Time and time again we are reminded about the lack of women in science, technology, engineering and mathematical (STEM) professions.  Even though women hold around half of all jobs in the United States, they still only occupy less than a quarter of all STEM jobs.

How can we fix this?

In order to see a significant change in STEM, we must look towards the future.  The young women and girls of today will be the leaders and groundbreakers of tomorrow. 

Numerous organizations have been developed to encourage young woman to pursue careers in STEM.  These organizations pave the way for girls to be an integral part of the next generation of tech workers.

If you are seeking fresh ideas on how to close the STEM gender gap, or are looking to get involved in a new and exciting organization, here is a list of 12 organizations that are making a difference:

           
            The NGCP brings together organizations throughout the US that are committed to informing and encouraging girls to pursue careers in STEM.  It includes 31 networks of professionals and researchers, covering 39 states, which allows collaboration between 12,800 organizations, serving 8.35 million girls.


            The Icebox Derby is a build-it-race-it competition, requiring 30 female participants to build racecars out of recycled refrigerators.  The refrigerators, provided by ComEd, a refrigerator recycling company, will be transformed into vehicles required to complete five laps around a track at speeds up to 15 mph.  The Icebox Derby is a Chicago-based competition, and is meant to get young woman involved in engineering.  ComEd is partnered by organizations such as the Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana, and the Chicago Urban League.


            Funded by AT&T and the National Science Foundation, respectively, these programs offer girls from low income and underserved communities the chance to experience STEM and plan for futures in STEM fields.

4) L’Oreal’s Forgirlsinscience.org

            L’Oreal’s new web site aims to connect girls who love science and give them the chance to learn about women in STEM fields.  It includes resources such as a list of summer science camps for girls and the opportunity for STEM-enthusiasts to blog about their experiences.


            Based in Austin, Texas, Girlstart provides year-round STEM education programs for girls in grades K-12.  The organization offers after-school programs, summer camps, and an annual Girls in STEM conference.


            The AAUW provides STEM education to more than 11,000 girls each year.  Its national STEM camps and conferences target middle-school aged girls because they believe that time in a girls life is vital to maintaining their interest in STEM.  Their goal is to encourage young girls to begin taking courses that will lead to a future in STEM.


            These two organizations are working together in hopes to engage one million STEM mentors to increase the interest and confidence of girls and young women to pursue and succeed in STEM degrees and careers.


            The Science Club for Girls has been connecting girls in grades K-12 with female-mentor scientists since 1994.  Over 1,000 girls participate annually in SCFG programs.  The programs operate throughout five cities in eastern Massachusetts, including Cambridge, Lawrence, Boston, Newton, and Fitchburg.  The Science Club for Girls focuses on subjects like chemistry, engineering, archaeology, environmental science, and physics.

            This organization is “dedicated to inspiring all girls to be strong, smart, and bold.”  They actively encourage girls to ask questions and solve problems while interacting with women and men in STEM.


            After receiving funding from the Clinton Global Initiative, the NCWIT will now be able to test their AspireIT initiative.  Volunteer high school or college women will run the program.  These women will lead designing and computer programs for younger girls.  The overall motive for the AspireIT initiative is to have these young women become role models and develop leadership skills while encouraging younger girls to pursue computing.


            Black Girls Code is dedicated to growing the amount of colored women in the STEM world by working with girls aged seven to seventeen.  The organization’s website states they hope these girls can become “innovators in STEM fields, leaders in their communities, and builders of their own futures through exposure to computer science and technology.”


            Women@NASA went above and beyond by creating a virtual mentoring program that offers online mentoring to middle-school students across the country.  A NASA employee instructs these students over Skype or Google Chat.  The NASA employees range in professions such as engineers, accountants, scientists, and astronauts. 


These 12 organizations are taking giant steps towards a more unified STEM future.  Only time will tell if their efforts will come to fruition.

There are numerous organizations besides the 12 listed above that are paving the way for women in STEM.  We highly encourage you to become involved and take some time to read about their values and goals.

Thursday, September 4, 2014

Learn Why Kim Reynolds, Lieutenant Governor of Iowa, is pushing for more STEM Programs

 “YOU have a chance to shape your own destiny.” -  Kim Reynolds, Lieutenant Governor of Iowa

In the past, for many women, pursuing a job in the STEM workforce did not seem possible; lack of information, school programs and even mentorship, guidance and encouragement centered around female STEM were unavailable. Thankfully, this is no longer the case. With more opportunities than ever before, women (and their employers) should be aware of endless possibilities out there. Learn about why Kim Reynolds, Lieutenant Governor of Iowa is pushing for more STEM programs in schools and business in the Women in STEM- My Story, My Advice project: http://bit.ly/1oHtLi1


Kim’s Story:

Kim Reynolds, Lieutenant Governor of Iowa

Growing up in St. Charles, Iowa, it never occurred to me to that I could become a food scientist, civil engineer, or aerospace engineer. Primarily because I didn't have the chance to learn within an innovative STEM classroom, join a robotics team or experience computer coding. Those experiences didn't exist in my school district. That's why I'm so passionate about driving STEM education. STEM truly offers unlimited opportunities to young women and students who are underrepresented or underserved. As Lieutenant Governor of Iowa, I am deeply committed to preparing our students for the jobs of tomorrow.  Read the rest of Kim's story and her advice: http://bit.ly/1oHtLi1

Meet women just like the Lieutenant Governor of Iowa, share your own stories and advice and influence the next generation of STEM professionals at the Women in STEM Idea Exchange Summit taking place on October 21st, 2014 at Bentley University. The Women-in-STEM Idea Exchange Summits provide the opportunity to make one-to-one connections with potential employees, feed mentoring and internship program pipelines, maximize ROI of K-12 STEM investments, increase STEM retention rates, as well as promote internal initiatives in support of women in the workplace.

To download our full brochure, and find out how you can become a part of a movement to change the future of America, click here: http://bit.ly/1xfbbrQ

Register today:  http://bit.ly/1unzfE5

We look forward to seeing you at the Summit!

Cheers,
The Women in STEM Exchange Summits Team
#WomeninSTEM
@WISExchange
Steamacceleratorblog.iirusa.com

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

Find Out How to Recruit and Retain Talent in the New Generation of STEM Graduates This Fall in Boston

70/30.
That is the sad ratio describing gender diversity in STEM-intensive industries.

Apple's workforce: 70% male, 30% female.
Googles? That's right, 70% male, 30% female.
Yahoo? You guessed it, 70/30.

The question confronting CEOs of many of the leading companies in the world is "how do we achieve balance by recruiting and retaining qualified women" into the workforce? 

This question will be tackled head by some of leading talent acquisition professionals in corporate America at the Women in STEM Idea Exchange Summit, taking place October 21, 2014 at the Center for Women and Business at Bentley University in Massachusetts.

This is your opportunity to learn from and interact with Amy Van Kirk, Parexel; Sachin Sahney, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts; and Emily Cournoyer, Covidien as they discuss:

Future of the American Workforce: How to Recruit and Retain Talent in the New Generation of STEM Graduates.

A balanced STEM workforce is crucial to America's innovative capacity and overall global competitiveness. According to the US Department of Commerce, "women are vastly underrepresented in STEM jobs and among STEM degree holders despite making up nearly half of the US workforce and half of the college-educated workforce." Companies are heavily investing in recruitment initiatives across the nation to create a pipeline of women graduating and going into STEM fields. However, despite the current efforts there is a clear gender bias when looking at the amount of women in STEM careers. What should companies do to change the environment and corporate culture that is lagging behind the retention rates of non-STEM industries? How can companies appeal more to the female workforce and create career longevity for these talented women? This session, featuring key industry leaders in STEM talent retention, will address the pivotal points and strategy in recruiting and retaining women in the STEM workforce.

To see all the sessions designed to help you change the future of the workforce in your organization, download the brochure: http://bit.ly/1mIlScp

Don't miss this unique opportunity to listen, learn, discuss and be inspired by professionals developing the STEM workforce of tomorrow. Register today: http://bit.ly/1zsBdUe

Looking forward to seeing you at the Summit!

Best,

The Women in STEM Exchange Summits Team
#WomeninSTEM
@WISExchange
Steamacceleratorblog.iirusa.com