Women in STEM: A Global Movement

By Maci Hodgins, Class of 2020

As a high school girl who loves solving math equations, learning about the human body, and understanding the laws of the universe, I naturally looked into the STEM – Science, Technology, Engineering, Math – field for my future career. What I found was surprising. I knew the field was generally male-dominated, but I didn’t know that one of the reasons so few women pursue a career in STEM was a result of their high school experience and the lack of encouragement they received. The second reason nagged at me the most. A lack of encouragement has no excuses.

When my science teacher, Mrs. Santucci, approached me last year and asked my opinion on creating a club at King’s for girls interested in STEM, I was enlivened. She explained to me that she had been in communication with the STEMettes program in the United Kingdom and they were interested in expanding internationally.  We would be the first international STEMette club outside of U.K and hopefully the first of many.

STEMettes exists to equip the minds of young high school girls interested in the STEM field and to inspire girls that might not have considered a career in the field otherwise. It’s now November and the club had its first official meeting with over 40 girls attending. STEMettes provide a global perspective and sheds light on what other women are doing in the STEM field around the world. Once a week, members can gather to learn about prominent female leaders in the fields of STEM and then use the skills they acquire in their own lives. Over the course of the year, members will also be able to communicate directly with other STEMettes clubs in the U.K.

People often underestimate the importance of a global perspective because it’s easier to focus on local and national events. A global perspective forces us to see what people around the world are accomplishing outside our own bubble. I’m excited to be a part of a global STEM movement here at King’s High School.