Franka Buurmeijer, 4 June 2015, Anton Pannekoek Institute for Astronomy

The other job Girls in STEM

Special Request

Outline❖ The issue!

❖ Numbers!

❖ Reasons not to choose STEM!

❖ Girlsday!

❖ Ways to help

The issue

Numbers at high school

Physics & astronomy at university

2007-2008 2011-2012 2012-2013 2013-2014

Girls 13 10 13 16

Boys 52 79 87 104

Total 64 89 100 120

% girls 20 11 13 13

Current numbers internationally% Girls in STEM

Romania 52 France 36

Italy 51 Germany 35

Portugal 48 Denmark 35

Sweden 43 Spain 34

Ireland 41 Switzerland 31

Finland 40 Belgium 30

Iceland 38 Netherlands 17

Great Britain 37 EU 38

Why did you choose STEM?

Who was of the most influence?

What did this person do?

Reasons not to choose STEM❖ Self-image or confidence in

STEM!

❖ Unfamiliarity with studies and professions!

❖ Influences from their private sphere

Self image❖ Stimulate and set requirements!

❖ Emphasize that success is a result of talent and work!

❖ Give positive feedback!

❖ Incorporate different teaching methods: presentations, interviews etc.!

❖ Mention and accept different methods that lead to the same results

Unfamiliarity❖ Enrich material with context!

❖ Clarify the social benefit!

❖ Offer interdisciplinary projects!

❖ Use photo’s, movies, posters etc. with females role models!

❖ Invite female guest lecturers!

❖ Organize company visits

Girlsday

Visit to Erasmus MC

Visit to Spark Design and Innovation

Ways to help❖ Subscribe to Spiegelbeeld!

❖ Participate in outreach to make women visible!

❖ Keep the motivations of girls in mind when communicating

My future niche❖ https://youtu.be/

_kA0AgHBVnk

Thank you!

Implicit association test❖ https://implicit.harvard.edu/

implicit/Study?tid=-1