Coalition Hosts Policymaker Briefing on High-Quality Hands-On Experiences for Girls in STEM
On Wednesday, March 16, 2022, the STEM Education Coalition hosted a virtual discussion titled, ” Girls in STEM: High-Quality, Hands-on Experiences Matter.” The gender gap is widest in the fastest growing fields like computer science and engineering, and this difference has been attributed to a variety of factors such as gender stereotypes, fewer role models, and male-dominated cultures, but a pervasive obstacle throughout the pipeline is confidence. Yet, women who gain confidence in both their intellectual ability and practical skills while in high school through STEM research experiences have a greater chance of pursuing a STEM major in college and career. Wednesday’s panelists discussed policy ideas to provide young girls with experiential learning opportunities in high school and analyze the overall impact that this exposure has on their confidence to pursue STEM fields in post-secondary education and careers.
View the webinar recording here.
Speakers:
Dr. Crystal Miller, Director of Fellowships in Science Research & Engineering Kettering Fund Chair for Student Research
Dr. Josh Witten, Director of Research and Inquiry at South Carolina’s Governor’s School for Science and Mathematics
Cathi Rodgveller, CEO and Founder, IGNITE Worldwide
Dr. Jeanne Mekolichick, President, Council on Undergraduate Research
James Brown, Executive Director of the STEM Education Coalition (Moderator)
