Girls in Ecatepec meet science

In the field of academic training in science and technology areas, only 28% of the university students of careers STEM (abbreviations in English of science, technology, engineering and mathematics) are women. Gender gaps are particularly large in some of the fastest-growing and highest-paying jobs of the future, such as computer science and engineering.

This is largely due to the identity process that is culturally replicated based on gender roles, which begin to be built from childhood. A study carried out by the magazine Science concluded that girls at the age of six begin to abandon the idea of ​​embarking on a career in fields where there is a greater presence of men, such as physics, because they believe that they are exclusive areas for them.

Based on these data, it is urgent to change history for thousands of girls who are in this stage of their lives, which is why Covestro (global manufacturers of polymeric materials) and Greenlight for girls (g4g) celebrated a new day of g4g Day in Mexico . These are interactive workshops and experiments in order to bring science closer to girls and adolescents between the ages of 11 and 15.

120 girls who attend school in the municipality of Ecatepec were selected with the aim of inspiring them and breaking the prejudices that exist regarding the female sex and its role in the field of STEM areas. They participated in four workshops to create their own slime, make batteries with fruit, make polymer worms, and reflect on the importance of sustainability to take care of our planet.

The event was held at the Covestro Plant, located in Santa Clara Ecatepec, State of Mexico. “The collaboration with Greenlight for girls is an effort that allows us to be an actor of change in our industry, since we seek that in the future more and more women can potentiate their talents in the scientific and technological fields, since the diverse teams contribute to promote innovation and face the challenges of today’s society and the future”, said Arturo Molina, CEO of Covestro Mexico during the meeting.

In addition, during the “g4g Day in Mexico”, the students had the opportunity to approach some science and technology topics in a different way, as well as the experiences of professionals who currently work at Covestro, in order to inspire and motivate them. to recognize that anything is possible.

Greenlight for girls (g4g) is an international non-profit organization based in Brussels, Belgium and the United States, dedicated to inspiring girls of all ages and backgrounds to pursue STEM subjects by introducing them to the world of science. science, technology, engineering and mathematics with a fun and interactive learning method.

timely interventions

Even though women constitute half of the world’s population, today they still face greater disadvantages due to gender, from the lack of access to health and education, to the tools that allow them optimal professional development. Likewise, problems such as gender violence, inequality of opportunities and the wage gap constitute some of the greatest challenges in terms of human rights to achieve gender equity.

Currently, the employment of women in STEM areas represents only 47%, which is why it has been identified as essential to intervene from an early age and break down the barriers that prevent girls from seeing them as an opportunity for professional growth. “Our commitment is to contribute to reducing the gender gap, starting with us, but also motivating other entities from our sector to join in, in order to achieve a greater impact,” said Molina.

For her part, Melissa Rancourt, founder and president of the board of directors of Greenlight for girls, assured that gender equality in scientific and technological fields is an issue that requires everyone’s reflection and cooperation, since it is of the utmost importance. stop replicating models based on gender stereotypes to move towards sustainable development.

“It is for this reason that our partnership with Covestro is a perfect opportunity to empower more girls and young women with the necessary tools to awaken their curiosity for these types of professional careers and favor the path of the new leaders of tomorrow.” She added that “by engaging girls in hands-on science learning and giving them the opportunity to meet aspiring female role models in these fields, we have made a significant impact on their career adoption and study in STEM fields.”

nelly.toche@eleconomista.mx