New York student Calliope Speredakos is thrilled to announce the launch of hew new digital platform Girls’ STEMpede. Girls’ STEMpede is a digital platform and video series that celebrates the importance of role models in further engaging girls in STEM. Speredakos created it to cultivate a community of like-minded women in STEM. Her goal is to encourage them to share their knowledge, passions and experiences. Girls’ STEMpede officially launched on Thursday, September 23.
An inclusive digital platform
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, women make up nearly half of the U.S. workforce, but only 27 percent of STEM workers. A recent Microsoft study has found that girls generally lose interest in STEM around the age of 15. This is due to a variety of reasons surrounding harmful stereotypes. Additional statistics include:
- Women have won just 19 of over 600 Nobel Prizes awarded in STEM since 1901
- Only 21 percent of Engineering and 19 percent of Computer Science college majors are women – AAUW
- Men are 7X more likely to appear in STEM roles in TV and Film – WEF
- Less than 1/3 of female students choose higher education classes in Math and Engineering – WEF
Amplifying the voices of girls in STEM
Speredakos was often the only girl to partake in various scientific and paleontological expeditions as a child. She encountered the above statistics from a young age. As a result, she became increasingly aware of the underrepresentation women have in the STEM workforce. She is determined to change the gender ratio and stereotypes in STEM and to create a network for young women and girls to pursue their passions. Speredakos created this digital platform to introduce female pioneers in the hopes of inspiring future generations. She identified and interviewed successful women in paleontology, astrophysics, computer engineering and more. She intends to show young girls that, no matter their field of interest, they too belong in STEM.
Interviews with Nieca Goldberg, Senior Advisor of Women’s Health Strategy at NYU Langone, and Alex Wolfe, Engineering Manager at Coinbase, are the first two to be published. Both discuss the women who inspired their STEM careers, the moment that sparked their love of STEM and the victories and defeats they have experienced as women in a traditionally male dominated field. To further support the mission, Speredakos created a 501c3 nonprofit to support underserved girls in STEM. It will launch later this year. She also plans to continue to build the Girls’ STEMpede platform throughout her college experience.
“Our mission at Girls’ STEMpede is to provide a platform to amplify the voices of the successful, remarkable and inspiring females in STEM, especially focusing on their earliest experiences and the trajectory of their careers,” says founder, Calliope Speredakos. “The goal is to expose young women and girls to females from very diverse walks of life in interesting careers, hoping that these role models will help disable the stereotypes surrounding women in STEM and give these girls newfound motivation and confidence to pursue their passions.”
About Calliope Speredakos
Speredakos is also an entrepreneurial philanthropist who has continually gone above and beyond to serve both her peers and strangers alike. Through her Blessing in a PopGrip initiative, Speredakos raised over $35,000 and continues to support the fight against childhood food insecurity. Her work earned her both the Daily Points of Light Award and the Inspiration Honor Role from The Points of Light Foundation for outstanding community service. Girls’ STEMpede furthers Speredakos’ philanthropic passions through a new outlet. She aims to create a safe and nurturing environment for young women and girls that ensures they feel supported as they pursue their STEM dreams.
For additional information on Girls’ STEMpede, visit www.girlsstempede.com.
Celebrate these trailblazing women in STEM!
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