When we think about engineering, what do we picture?
A man. A man working with mechanical objects, innovating, creating new devices...but, why do we picture a man?
Well, while this might not be the case for all of us, the vast majority of modern society visualize an engineer as a man.
Yes, engineering is one of the most interesting, innovative, revolutionary professions. By saying you are an engineer, people already know you have what it takes. Yet, many people only consider the possibility of men becoming engineers.
Women have stepped up in the past decades to achieve mastery in the fields that they were prohibited from some years ago, and this is because women have broken through the barriers and tackled the obstacles that traditional society has superimposed on them.
Nowadays, 14 percent of engineers in the world are women. While this may not be sufficient...it is a great advance! Compared to the early 1980s when 5.8 percent of engineers in the U.S. were women, we notice an advance in our new ways of thinking. When we make space in our minds to broaden the perspective that we have led for years, new possibilities and opportunities open in our minds to brighten what we see and illuminate the ideas that we have had.
Plainly put, we ought to see more women in engineering and other STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) fields.
Recent studies have shown that the reason behind why a greater quantity of men enter STEM fields in comparison to women is because young girls grow up believing the common misconception that they aren't good at STEM.
When girls are little, they are not motivated to play with construction toys or science related devices, but rather induced to play with the princesses and pink items that are displayed in the store. This is a large indicator as to why many girls are not inspired to pursue STEM careers.
Goldieblox Initiative
"With the recent studies, it was shown that around the world, girls performed better than the boys in the Math & Science exams that were handled. Showing that it was not something that came from their genes (as thought-myth) but rather it was a cultural belief." -Debbie Sterling (Founder and CEO of Goldieblox)
The new generations that are rising now are coming to understand the importance of women in engineering. The importance of getting rid of cultural beliefs to open the doors to a world filled with knowledge is grand! And for girls, the doors have opened...we have conquered the power needed to fulfill and commence a society regulated by equality.
-Astrophysics Angie