 While the characters in the motion picture Hidden Figures will inspire new dreams, the new picture book series, STEM Girls Books, will provide exposure to the exciting possibilities of STEM along with real role models for girls as young as three.
The lack of girls in STEM fields is no surprise to anyone. Education World cited an Australian study, which concluded that if girls increased their confidence, an estimated 75% more women would be working in STEM professions. Additional research from the University of Illinois shows that by age six, girls are already doubting their own intelligence. Although STEM programs are becoming more accessible to young girls, they are often not introduced until the teen years. STEM Girls Books seeks to change that. STEM Girls Books is a series of picture books for ages 3-8 that explore the excitement of STEM careers and inspire little girls to dream big. While the book series is currently in development, feedback is being collected from real women in STEM who are sharing their stories and encouraging young girls to aim high and follow their dreams. The interviews are profiled on the website and provide a simplistic yet captivating view of a specific STEM field so that young girls will see that these careers are cool for girls too. For example, Sharon Diaz, Ph.D., taps into the appeal of Superheroes to explain medical research. "In our bodies, the Superheroes are our immune cells. They are the good guys that defend our bodies against the villains. The villains are things that cause disease like bacteria, viruses, cancer cells and other things that can make us sick. Medical researchers find ways to help our Superheroes (immune cells) defend our bodies against disease." Amazing young women have already shared their stories and all women in STEM are invited to participate. Girls and their parents will find inspiring stories from chemical, biomedical and mechanical engineers, research scientists, computer programmers and more. While girls will leave the movie theater with new dreams planted from Hidden Figures, they can go to STEMGirlsBooks.com and explore more possibilities from real women in STEM. Visit http://www.STEMGirlsBooks.com to learn more.
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