WHY GIRLS IN STEAM MATTER
BY : SHADY ELKASSAS
It is quite hard to imagine what life will look like in another 15 or 20 years from now . However , and despite the mystery and uncertainty that surrounds the future of humanity , one sure thing is that employment in the fields of science , technology , engineering , arts / design and mathematics ( STEAM ) will give women many opportunities to transform our world and job sustainability in a technology-centered marketplace . Everything is experiencing rapid changes and it is possible that , in a few years , everything from making coffee to dispensing money will be done via computers or machines .
Certain jobs like tellers and cash attendants will become obsolete due to the pace of technological advancements taking place today . This is why it ’ s important to prepare girls for the future . Yet there is an obvious gap in the number of women and men in the fields related to STEAM . While it is quite hard to know the exact number across the sector , the number of female employees in the STEAM fields is estimated to be in the range of 10- 30 %, This estimate supports the notion that women need to contribute more in STEAM , as this will add a lot to the scientific community .
If half the population are not pitching their best ideas , it is safe to say that we might not be able to reach our full potential . If it weren ’ t to female inventors in history , we wouldn ’ t have had coffee filters , windshield wipers , Bluetooth , and disposable diapers . Recent inventions developed by women include a smartphone application that allows parents to detect an ear infection and a system of purifying water that makes use of sunlight and a cheap photo-catalyst to make pure drinking water .
A popular misconception that is passed on from one generation to another is that boys are better at mathematics and sciences than girls . Thereby , most girls are raised with a stereotypical mentality that they cannot cope with mathematics and science , that they
32 Term 3 Apr - Jun 2021
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