Meeting role models is a proven way to encourage girls into Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), digital and entrepreneurial careers. The Department of Mathematics and Science Education within the Faculty of Education participated in an EU-funded research project entitled ‘GEM — Empower Girls to Embrace their Digital and Entrepreneurial Potential’ to enable to fulfil their potential.
In Malta, this research project involved a 3-day online GEM activity in September 2021 and a week of in-person activities titled ‘Girls4STEM Week’ held in September 2022. More than one hundred Year 7 girls attended these events, during which students worked collaboratively in small groups and under the guidance of female mentors on a number of activities, related to arts and science, entrepreneurship, health and well-being, and coding, among others.
A number of female professionals, including scientists and academics, chatted with the girls about their day-to-day work in these exciting fields. The event was held at the University of Malta campus and included the design and carrying out of investigations on real-life themes, which included the environment and sustainable lifestyles involving soil analysis, air pollution, noise and temperature measurements.
More than one hundred Year 7 girls attended these events
Students also visited the Esplora Interactive Science Centre, where they experienced and participated in a specially prepared programme dealing with gender stereotypes related to STEM and STEM careers. All activities gave students first-hand experiences of real-life problem-solving and inquiry-based learning in STEM as well as entrepreneurship. The GEM project aimed to help the participants become more aware of their own potential and increase their interest in studying, being involved and pursuing careers in STEM/digital disciplines, especially in leadership positions.
All students who participated in the GEM Summer Camp completed a survey before and after their participation. Results of these surveys showed that the programme had an impact on the girls’ confidence levels in terms of taking up leadership roles, pursuing science-related courses and entering STEM-related careers. The programme helped develop the girls’ digital and entrepreneurial potential by meeting successful female role models.
The ‘GEM - Empower Girls to Embrace their Digital and Entrepreneurial Potential’ project is co-funded by the European Union under grant no. LC-01380173. The European Union/European Commission is neither responsible for the content nor liable for any losses or damage resulting from the use of these resources.
Sound Bites
• The Christmas Island rat is making a comeback! The species went extinct 119 years ago, but some scientists are using de-extinction approaches to bring it back from extinction. Their findings provide insights into its limitations; it requires a lot of time and money, and is de-extinction better than just saving them before they go horridly extinct.
• When droplets glide along a specially engineered wire, they gain speed as they bunch together. When the water-attracting wire is inclined, the droplets propel themselves to zipline. When two water droplets coalesce, their speed increases by up to 270 per cent more than beforehand. This Christmas-inspired study can help eliminate mist!
For more soundbites, listen to Radio Mocha Malta https://www.fb.com/RadioMochaMalta/.
DID YOU KNOW?
• Good management of marine protected areas in Indonesia are helping reef manta rays thrive as opposed to most other sharks and rays which are declining globally.
• In Bolivia, measures to conserve the critically endangered blue-throated macaw have not only worked on the macaw but have also been beneficial for the whole Bení Savanna.
• Eurasian beavers were almost wiped out in France but hunting regulation and reintroduction programs have brought them back from the brink of extinction.
For more trivia, see: www.um.edu.mt/think.