On Friday, March 11, Marvel Studios and the National Academy of Sciences announced that they would be partnering together to hold a contest. The contest is called the Captain America: Civil War -- Girls Reforming the Future Challenge. This contest encourages high school aged girls to get interested in the fields of science, technology, engineering and math.
Girls in grades 10 through 12 are encouraged to create an original science or technology project that "could make the world a better place." Five finalists will be chosen. They will each receive a $500 High Yield Savings account from Synchrony Bank, a trip to Hollywood so they can present their project to Marvel Studios, the opportunity to attend the premiere of "Marvel's Captain America: Civil War."
Of these five finalists, one winner will be chosen. This winner will get the opportunity to be an intern at Marvel Studios. The deadline for applications is 9:00 pm Pacific Time on March 26, 2016.
This is not the first time Marvel has held a contest for girls. In 2013, a similar contest was held. It was called the Ultimate Mentor Adventure. It encouraged high school aged girls to interview women who held positions in science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM) fields. The winner won a trip to the "Thor: The Dark World" premiere.
These type of contests show Marvel's initiative to give women more representation in STEM fields. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistic,s women make up 47 percent of the U.S. workforce. In science and engineering occupations, this percent is much lower. Women make up 28 percent of environmental scientists, 16 percent of chemical engineer, and 12 percent of civil engineers.
Business Insider attributes this under-representation to teasing in school, lack of encouragement, stereotypes, childcare, competition, marginalization and bias. Competitions, like Marvel's, and even government initiatives are aimed at correcting some of these reasons.
According to whitehouse.gov, The Office of Science and Technology Police and the White House Council on Women and Girls are "dedicated to increasing the participation of women and girls in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics by increasing the engagement of girls with STEM subjects in formal and informal environments, encouraging mentoring to support women through academic and professional experiences and supporting efforts to retain women in the STEM workforce".
All of these efforts are also exhibited in the contests Marvel holds for young girls. By encouraging and providing opportunities for girls to grow and learn more about STEM jobs perhaps, contests like the Captain America: Civil War -- Girls Reforming the Future Challenge can help correct the current underrepresentation.
For more information on how to enter visit CaptainAmericaChallenge.com.
