Girls' STEMpede

Girls' STEMpede is a movement, founded by Calliope Speredakos , that celebrates the importance of role models in further engaging girls in science, technology, engineering, and math. Although the number of girls in STEM is on the rise, a recent study by Microsoft showed that most girls begin losing interest in STEM at approximately 15 years of age. This is attributed to a variety of causes. Still, according to the September 2020 study published in Frontiers in Psychology, "… there are cultural and social stereotypes about the characteristics of scientists and scientific jobs that undermine the interest that girls may have in STEM, as they do not match these stereotypes." Female role models in STEM have helped overcome such stereotypes, increasing young women's sense of belonging to STEM fields and serving as prime examples of hard work and motivation. However, through lack of awareness and amplification in the media, especially in contrast to their male counterparts, most female role models remain relatively unknown. Not only does this lead to the further reinforcement of harmful stereotypes, but it discourages girls from pursuing careers in STEM, giving them the false idea that they are alone in their interests and passion. Our mission at Girls' STEMpede is to provide a platform to amplify the voices of the successful, remarkable, and inspiring females in STEM, primarily focusing on their earliest experiences with STEM and the trajectory of their careers. The goal is to expose young women and girls to females in STEM from very diverse walks of life, hoping that these role models will help disable the stereotypes surrounding women in STEM and give these girls newfound motivation to pursue their passions.