STEM Girls Rock!

On Tuesday May 24, I had the special honor of being part of Oakton Community College’s first STEM event for girls and their parents. We have long lists of evidence and reasons why girls do not choose to enter STEM career fields or become interested in and passionate about science, math, technology and most recently, engineering. While the event was designed for parents to provide them with ideas, strategies, and tools to help them inspire their daughters towards STEM, there were many young ladies present too with lots of questions for those of us who served in a lightening round table of questions and answers. It was definitely exciting and fun and it is always wonderful to share my passion of STEM with girls as well as their parents.

 

This video was shown during the event and it definitely does show how STEM girls rock!

Thanks to Gloria Liu and all the staff at Oakton Community College for organizing a fabulous event. Here are a few tips on inspiring girls to rock STEM:

1. Hook them early on some cool aspect of STEM. For me it was a microscope kit in 5th grade.
2. Encourage their participation in science fairs and other STEM competitions and challenges.
3. Buy them LEGO’s. Research shows that building with LEGO’s increases spatial skills.
4. Be positive and encouraging.
5. Introduce girls to fun STEM events and programs and encourage them to participate in after school,
summer, and enrichment STEM activities, events, competitions, and programs.
6. Mentor, mentor, mentor. Locate mentoring programs for girls interested in STEM.
7. Become involved and bring your ideas on involving and including girls in STEM to your school and community.

We can all make a difference one girl at a time!