Women represent 47 percent of the overall workforce, yet only 28 percent of the science and engineering workforce, according to a study by the National Girls Collaborative Project, an organization that works to encourage girls to consider science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) careers. The results reflect those of many similar surveys.
Statistics such as these were the motivation for establishing the G.I.R.L.S. STEM Symposium, presented by the ITS Academy at the Naveen Jindal School of Management. G.I.R.L.S — Getting in Involved as Rising Leaders in STEM — is one of the programs the academy provides to K-12 students who have an interest in learning more about STEM opportunities.
“There are not enough women in STEM fields, and we want to change that,” said Dr. Dawn Owens, director of the BS in Information Technology and Systems program and the ITS Academy. “Students today start thinking about college much earlier than in the past, so we reach out to middle school girls.”
Now in its third year, the most recent symposium was held on the JSOM campus April 5 and 6. About 40 middle school girls, representing 25 Dallas schools, attended the event, according to Beth Kent, manager of the BS in ITS program.
The symposium was sponsored by High-Tech High Heels, a nonprofit group launched by women at Texas Instruments to encourage more young women to choose careers in technology.
“Our organization was founded as part of the Women of T.I. Foundation,” said Amber Scheurer, HTHH board member. “We fund hands-on programs such as the one at the Jindal School.”
The organization works with grades K-12 and recently awarded its one millionth dollar. According to Scheurer, one of the things HTHH particularly likes about the JSOM symposium its focus on IT.
“We don’t see many programs that do that. We see more with general focuses,” she said. “IT is a very in-demand skill.”
Keynote speaker, Monnica Rose, an engineer with L3 Technologies in Greenville for 29 years, said little has changed regarding the number of women in the field in that time. “Out of 250 engineers in my section today,” she said, “there are 10 women.”
Rose shared her story with students — her father was a science teacher who ingrained her with the importance of education — including some challenges and successes, as well as a few tips. She designs airplane parts, and the work she does is secret. “I love the creativity of it,” she said. “I get to design the part, watch it being built and then see it in the airplane.”
Students at the symposium attended sessions where they got hands-on experience in using STEM tools and technologies, including:
- In the data analytics session, taught by Sravya Vemulapati, a senior BS in ITS student at JSOM and a member of the ITS Leadership Council, students completed a survey and then used data analytics to analyze the information in their surveys and help them determine the college they wanted to attend.
- In the supply chain session, taught by Dr. Monica Brussolo, director of the BS in Supply Chain Management program, exercises included a quality control assignment. In “George, the Gallant Frog,” the girls were provided with a story about a frog, written with an abundance of G’s. Students were told that G is considered a defect, and they had to do a 100 percent inspection of the story and count the number of G’s.
- They also worked on a transportation challenge, Around the World, set in the past —about the time of the 1873 publication of the book, Around the World in 80 Days. Students were provided with a network of transportation routes around the world in a time where it took days to travel from city to city. The challenge was to find the shortest routes from London to several distant locations.
The two-day conference provided opportunities for students to learn about emerging technologies and engage with panelists who work in IT. They also had lunch and dinner with industry professionals and JSOM personnel, where they were encouraged to ask questions about STEM programs at JSOM and careers in the field.
Before attending the symposium, students were asked to complete a survey. They were asked to complete another survey after the symposium.
“Their answers show some interesting changes in their views about STEM,” said Owens. “I love seeing the girls’ excitement. Seeing them when they come in, and seeing the difference when they leave.”
