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.
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.
chat with Alisha Sarang-Sieminski 
