Science World aims to tackle the gender gap in Canada’s STEAM workforce through STEAM events targeted at girls and underrepresented groups.
Science World has sponsored this post.
Did you know that only 22 percent of STEM jobs in Canada are currently held by women?
This isn’t new information. That there is a gender gap when it comes to women and girls in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) career fields has been known for a long time. Studies have found that women are less likely to enroll in a STEM program, and those who do are less likely than men to remain in a STEM program over the course of their education.
The gender gap in STEM is widely recognized as detrimental to women, particularly in regard to equality of work and pay, as most science and technology occupations—especially those in engineering and computer science—are among the highest-paying and fastest-growing occupations. They are also widely known as some of the least-welcoming fields for women to enter.
“Women and girls have been underrepresented at all levels in science, technology, engineering and math,” said Tracy Redies, President and CEO of Science World. “While some fields such as life sciences now have much greater gender diversity, others, such as computer science or physics, are still male-dominated. This means that young women entering these fields don’t see themselves reflected in these fields and might not have a model for the career path they’re hoping to follow. This is even more true for Indigenous, LGBTQ2S+ or women of Colour. Male-dominated classrooms and workplaces can be unwelcoming or uncomfortable, and women can find themselves very alone in trying to change workplace culture.”
These days, organizations across the country and around the world are working hard to bridge the gender gap, with the goal of eventually seeing women equally represented across all STEM fields.
Education and exposure are the best ways to level the playing field by introducing girls and young women to STEM early and often through events, workshops, mentorship opportunities and hands-on projects. This kind of outreach is vital to helping these girls not only find their passion, but also to begin building a strong and supportive community of women in science and technology.
While STEM education is the phrase most commonly used, in many cases the definition has been expanded to include arts and design, typically abbreviated as STEAM.
Giving girls exciting and engaging opportunities to experience STEAM subjects, meet STEAM leaders and learn about all the fascinating careers that exist in STEAM fields, starting in elementary school, makes them much more likely to pursue STEAM subjects in their education through high school, college or university, and on into their future careers.
Inspiring Girls and STEAM
Science World is a B.C.-based organization that aims to tackle the gender gap in Canada’s STEAM workforce with its Girls and STEAM events, which offer girls in elementary and high school a range of engaging workshops, hands-on activities, demonstrations and panel discussions led by STEAM leaders. Panelists and mentors are all women in STEAM, representing a diverse range of fields which could include game design, civil engineering, animation, biomedical research, chemistry, ocean science, science communication, robotics, botany, computing and more.
“As students are moving from elementary school to high school, they are starting to make decisions about their future studies and careers,” says Redies. “By creating an event for middle-school students we have the opportunity to expand their view of the interconnected roles of science, technology, engineering, art and design, and math in society.”
“We wanted to create an event that inspires girls to explore careers in STEAM fields. By adding the A (for art and design) to create STEAM, we choose to emphasize the importance of multidisciplinary thinking and the value of a broader set of skills in the jobs of the future,” Redies adds. “Through Girls and STEAM, they are introduced to a wide range of opportunities, so they can see how their interests line up with some amazing career possibilities.”
Girls and STEAM has two upcoming events targeting different age groups. The first event will take place November 6, 2021, and features programming aimed at girls ages 11 – 13. The second event will be in February 2022 and is aimed at girls 14 – 16 years old.
The keynote speaker for the November event is Dr. Samantha Yammine, popularly known as Science Sam. She holds a Ph.D. in neuroscience from the University of Toronto, and spends time working as a science communicator speaking about science and making STEM more inclusive and accessible to girls and underrepresented minorities.
“There is no evidence to suggest gender itself dictates one’s interest in STEAM studies or careers,” says Dr. Yammine. “Instead, while we see proportionate numbers of girls and women showing interest in STEAM, there is a lack of retention of talent, likely due to biased and exclusionary academic environments. Academia was made by and for cisheteronormative, white, wealthy able-bodied men, and there is a lot of important activism work devoted to re-establishing and decolonizing the way we teach and operate in STEAM so that it can be a place where everyone can thrive.”
“My goal as a science communicator is to empower people to participate in scientific discussions, especially those who have been historically excluded from science. An important part of my role is to think critically about how I evaluate and share science stories to ensure they serve my communities, and to know when I’m not the right person to tell a story—in which case, my job is to amplify my friends and colleagues who are.”
“There are still so many barriers to STEAM education and information, and as women and girls are given more platforms to discuss issues that impact us, it’s important we make space for those who continue to be excluded,” Dr. Yammine adds. “I am really passionate about advocating for more Intersex and trans representation in biological studies, hiring more Black and indigenous scholars to leadership positions, and ensuring science is truly accessible for everyone with disabilities.”
STEAM Learning in a Virtual World
In previous years, the Girls and STEAM event took place on-site at Science World in Vancouver B.C., with about 300 girls in attendance. In 2020 the event pivoted to a virtual format to accommodate COVID-19 restrictions, reaching over 1,500 girls across B.C. The 2021 event remains digital, taking place November 6.
Though the reason for the shift to a virtual event hasn’t been ideal, the silver lining has been the breadth of reach that a virtual event offers over an in-person event. Many more girls are able to sign up and participate in the live event without being constrained by travel or geography, particularly those in remote, rural and Indigenous communities across the province.
“The maximum capacity for our in-person event was about 300 girls,” said Redies. “At last year’s online event we welcomed 1,500 participants. While there were some learning curves for our team to make this transition, we have been able to reach more participants and connect with mentors and participants from far outside the Vancouver area. The other benefit to this year’s program is that the participants have more control over the specific mentor sessions they would like to attend based on the industries they are most interested in.”
The content from the event is also available online afterwards, which means participants can check out something they may have missed during the live event day.
Some highlights of the upcoming November event include:
Gene Detectives Workshop with Genome BC
Step into the role of a disease researcher and solve this simulated viral outbreak case with volunteers from Genome BC Geneskool.
Scientists called epidemiologists help us to understand where infectious diseases originate, how they spread and what strategies might help to reduce their negative impacts. In this 20-minute workshop, students solve a fictional outbreak case with real-world online tools that scientists use to compare DNA sequences and explore how viruses can spread through a community.
The same online genomic tools that students use in this workshop are being used by scientists who study the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus responsible for the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic. Applying their knowledge of DNA and mutation to this simulated outbreak allows students to experience how important genetics is to everyday life.
Science Shorts Demonstrations with Science World
Throughout the event, participants can enjoy spectacular science demonstrations and fun activities that they can try at home, presented by the amazing team at Science World in Vancouver. Instructions for these activities will also be part of the event recording for attendees who would like to try them again on another day.
Mentor Networking with STEAM Leaders
Participants will have a chance to choose from themed STEAM topics rooms to ask questions in real time from over 40 amazing mentors from a wide variety of career fields.
Science World and Girls and STEAM are also running bi-monthly presentations as part of their Mentorship Speaker Series. Girls have the opportunity to enjoy a 30-minute presentation by a STEAM mentor, followed by a networking component where girls can ask questions about STEAM careers. Topics covered in the Mentorship Cafè to date include artificial empathy in machines and AI, video game careers and “secret identities” highlighting the wide range of interests that STEAM professionals have in other areas of their lives.
The 2021 event is being hosted on ProjectBoard as the virtual platform, says Redies. “It is easy and intuitive to use. The main video stream for the day will be available in the event lobby, where participants will also be able to tour virtual exhibit booths from our industry partners and access live scheduled networking breakout rooms with mentors from a wide range of STEAM careers.”
Registration and Event Details
The Girls and STEAM event is free to attend, and takes place on November 6, 2021, for girls ages 11 to 13, and again on February 26, 2022, for girls ages 14 to 16. Registration for the November event is now open at projectboard.world/girls-and-steam.
After the live event is over, recordings of the content will be available online at scienceworld.ca/girls-and-steam.
Visit the Girls in STEAM page at Science World to learn more about the event and to register.