Girls in STEM: Empowering Girls by Tackling the Gender Gap
Understanding the Gender Gap for Girls in STEM
We all probably grew up watching shows like the Magic School Bus and Bill Nye the Science Guy, and doing science experiments in the classroom, but despite our exposure to science education throughout our lives, did you know that only about 28% of the workforce in STEM fields is made up of women?
What exactly is STEM?
STEM stands for science, technology, engineering, and math. A big reason why fewer girls and women pursue STEM careers is because of how society thinks of STEM fields and the relation of women and men to those fields. For example, research shows that in as early as preschool, parents and teachers underestimate the math abilities of girls.
Additionally, STEM fields are considered more “masculine”. And, because there are fewer females in STEM careers, there are fewer female role models within the fields for girls to look up to. All of these factors lead to decreasing confidence and discouraging girls and women from pursuing careers in STEM.
What Can We Do to Help Girls in STEM
There are a number of ways we can tackle the gender gap as a society. From higher quality teacher training to address implicit biases to workforce policies that allow flexibility, safety assurance, and equal pay. For parents, and as a society as a whole, researchers say one of the important steps we can take is to instill a growth mindset in our children, especially girls in this regard. A growth mindset means to understand that we can get better at something and perform better through practice and hard work, rather than having an innate ability. This can empower girls to pursue and accept challenges to try their best in achieving something, rather than decreasing confidence with false ideas and misconceptions, such as that boys have a “math brain”.
Another way we can tackle the gender gap is by addressing some of the key contributing factors mentioned above, such as de-emphasizing the “masculinity” of STEM fields and increasing the number of female role models pursuing STEM careers.
How Northern Nail Polish Paves the Way
Northern Nail Polish Founder
Northern Nail Polish is actually an ideal example of a venture that tackles these issues and can encourage more girls to pursue STEM interests. How?
The founder of Northern Nail Polish, KC Springberg, was frustrated with traditional store-bought nail polish that she learned contained a number of toxins, chemicals, and allergens. She began studying the ingredients of nail polish and their effects on the body. She then began developing her own nail polishes that were free of these toxic ingredients but also preserved the high quality of nail polishes expected by many customers, such as being long-lasting and chip-resistant.
“So you can imagine just how disappointed I felt when I read that article making me realize how much I was exposing my body to harsh chemicals...Instead of quitting, I started researching. I got passionate about the topic and wanted to find out more about nail polish formulation. I dissected each ingredient’s purpose. I found out about how toxic conventional polishes are, how they contain endocrine disruptors and carcinogens. Scary stuff! And that’s how Northern Nail Polish was born!”
KC not only exhibits a growth mindset by accepting a challenge for a cleaner, safer, and higher-quality nail polish, she also shows the connection of science to a traditionally “female” interest (nail polish!), and by starting Northern Nail Polish, she’s become one of the female role models girls can look up to in a STEM and entrepreneurial role! Northern Nail Polish is paving the way not only for healthier and more natural nail polish, but also in increasing confidence so that girls can still be interested in “girly” things, see the connection between STEM and their surroundings, and empower girls in STEM to find, accept, and pursue challenges that can make this world a better place.
Find out more about Northern Nail Polish’s amazing and inspirational journey!
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