According to an article published by MIT, the gender gap in STEM still remains concerningly large, with women making up only 28% of the STEM workforce in 2023. This statistic shows how sexism and gender bias are shockingly present in an increasingly important work field. The GirlCon organization is working against these challenges and is hosting an event in June.
“The gender gap in STEM has been attributed to many different realities. Many people attribute STEM to being a more masculine field that can discourage girls and women from pursuing STEM careers. Furthermore, women are very underrepresented in the workforce, so many girls feel scared to enter the STEM field without any role models to look up to,” said GirlCon’s co-director Sarah Narula.
The first GirlCon was originally hosted in 2018 and has since become an annual event. In response to COVID-19 the convention has adopted a hybrid format. This means the event will be split into three days. June 20 and 21 will be held virtually.
June 22 will be the in person conference hosted at Google HQ Chicago and the event will be completely free. Registration for any of the event days can be found on GirlCon’s website. It’s important to register before May 22 because afterwards registration will be closed.
According to GirlCon’s website, “GirlCon is an international tech conference aiming to empower the next generation of leaders. The lack of diversity in STEM is an issue that everyone on the GirlCon team strives to fix. Attendees will have a chance to personally connect with companies from countless career paths and gain mentorship from women in both college and the workforce.”
“How does GirlCon help girls interested in pursuing STEM? GirlCon hosts a virtual and in-person conference every year in Chicago. The conference features renowned speakers, sessions incorporating technology and science, and professional development to prepare girls for college and beyond. We highly recommend you sign up,” said Narula.
