New Education Program Aims To Bring More Young Girls To STEM-Based Careers

A new education program is encouraging young girls to pursue STEM-based careers. The Connecticut Women's Hall of Fame is introducing young girls to some of the women who have made their marks in the science, technology, engineering and math fields.

The STEMfemes program was introduced by the Connecticut Women's Hall of Fame to Scofield Magnet Middle School, the Stamford Advocate reported. STEMfemes is designed to expose middle and high school students to Connecticut Women's Hall of Fame inductees, who all excelled in their STEM-related careers.

Presenters, Hands-On Activities

Among the presenters of the STEMfemes program are a college math professor Dr. Maria Diamantis; Drs. Michelle Garnsey and Danica Rankic, senior scientists from Pfizer; and Michelle Butler, system resiliency project manager from Eversource Energy, a company that provides electric and natural gas. Also included are Meryl Mallery, vice president at Ensign-Bickford Aerospace & Defense Co.; and Madison Tobar, a development engineer from Medtronic.

STEMfemes' event at Scofield provided hands-on activities and lessons like an outdoor rocket launch and a "surgeon for a day" exercise. Kathrine Wiltshire, executive director of the Connecticut Women's Hall of Fame, said the STEMfemes program doesn't just cater to girls; it also encourages young boys to its cause.

More Programs Encourage STEM-Related Careers

In Niagara Falls, Canada, several students at James Morden Public School have joined the new STEM club launched earlier this year, Niagara Falls Review reported. Girls from Grades 4 to 7 can join the STEM club.

The school's STEM club encourages young girls to collaborate on projects and experiments that are STEM-related. The group holds meetings every Tuesday after class to embark on a number of educational projects, which develops the girls' problem solving and critical thinking skills.

Susan Huibers, who spearheaded the STEM club alongside her colleague Julie Braukmann, said STEM industries have the highest paying jobs and only 15 percent of females enter that career path, Niagara Falls Review added. Entering the STEM workforce could help women bridge the existing wage gap between them and their male counterparts and make it equal.

Ilinois' Joliet Central High School is also making efforts to encourage its students to consider pursuing STEM-related careers, the Herald-News reported. Last month, high school girls attended the Science Careers in Search of Women conference at the Argonne National Laboratory aimed to expose them to the STEM industry.

The young girls toured the laboratories, ate lunch with women scientists, listened to panel discussions, watched presentations and went to career booths, the news outlet listed. Majority of their time were spent interacting with women who have successful careers in STEM.