Today, women continue to be underrepresented in the Science-Technology-Engineering-Mathematics workforce, holding less than 30% of all STEM jobs. Research shows that young girls enjoy these subjects but as they get older, they start to feel that STEM isn’t for them based on outdated stereotypes.
She Can STEM inspires girls to stay in STEM by showing them what's possible. By sharing stories of female role models and providing educational resources to get started on a path in STEM, Ad Council helps girls see themselves in these industries and prepares them for their own STEM journeys.
She Can STEM. So Can You.
Ad Council created She Can STEM to provide middle school girls with stories and resources to see and build their future in STEM fields. The women they highlight come from diverse backgrounds as well as diverse STEM fields.
The campaign does this in two ways. The first focus is storytelling. On social media, their website, and YouTube, Ad Council highlights a variety of paths real women have taken in the STEM industries. This includes personal stories of women like Tiera Fletcher, an aerospace engineer. They highlight her story by showing real pictures of her as a middle school-aged girl, the academic and extracurricular path she took, and then an interview with her at her NASA job today. They also share her story visually on social platforms like YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook.
In addition, the She Can STEM campaign tells the stories of significant STEM achievements by women throughout history. They do this by showcasing specific women that have influenced technologies that impact our lives today.
She Can STEM also explores the stories of real girls creating and exploring things in STEM subjects today. This includes everything from Girl Scout Troops earning STEM badges to science fair projects, to at-home experiments.
The second way in which She Can STEM empowers girls to see and build their future in STEM fields is through partnerships with some of the leading technology companies in the world. She Can STEM’s website features tangible steps and resources from companies like IBM, Google, and Verizon. These resources include everything from online classes to in-person workshops.
The content has been shared on social media, YouTube, and the She Can STEM website. SheCanStem has nearly 20,000 followers on Instagram, and the hashtag #SheCanSTEM has been used over 5,000 times on Instagram. They have video interviews with over 50 female STEM role models, several of which have millions of views. Karlie Kloss, host of Project Runway, an avid computer programmer, has nearly 2 million views for her video and has generated hundreds of engagements.
