“Students need to find fun in tech rather than treat it as a course or skill…”

  • Resilience

    It is unfortunate that there are still so many barriers and obstacles in the STEM industry. Rather than viewing them as an untreatable situation, you can see them just like any other difficulties you may experience in life. By creating such mindsets around a prominent issue, it can reduce the pressure and stress, and allow you to push through the gender barricades.

  • Excellence

    Working in STEM as a woman or minority can be hard. If others say you are unable to do something, you can prove them wrong. You can excel in an area they thought you couldn’t regardless of what their reasoning was. By setting milestones in STEM, you are also preparing others around you to succeed, seeing you as their role model.

  • Seek Support

    Keeping too many things to yourself would bring a negative effect on both your physical and mental health. Thus, it is very important to seek support from a trusted adult or professional. If you have the resources at school, that is definitely recommended. However, there are many free organizations that can help with your experience and emotions.

  • Girls can often feel left out or pushed out of the STEM community. You can encourage girls who are experiencing these things to connect with their peers who may be in similar situations. (ie. science camps, the museum organized events, science fairs)

  • The toy aisles are very gendered, you can encourage your children to broaden their toy spectrum and purchase toys that encourage innovation and technology. (ie. microscope kit, butterfly/insect habitat, doctor kits)

    It is also important that you show your support as a family member so that the student can feel secure about their choices of entering STEM.

  • Celebrate female STEM role models and their accomplishments. Include female STEM role models in textbooks, lessons, and assemblies.

    Nearly half of all girls interested in stem don't know a woman in a stem career so it's up to all of us to share stories and talk about the women in stem we know.