Resources for Women and Girls in Tech

I have been surrounded by incredible women all of my life: My grandmothers, mother, sister, wife, daughter, and now a granddaughter, just to name a small fraction. At my day job, a tech company, our team is over 50% women, and they are all amazing at what they do. The diversity of personalities and thought in environments with balance is an advantage to everyone.

I was sent a link from a young reader some time ago that had a page full of links to cool STEM resources. I posted it on my general Resources page. Not long after, I started receiving requests to include similar links. Lately, I get a few a week. I think it’s time to make this topic its own page. So… Boom.

(For a while, I will keep this page in sync with the section on the Resources page so that the search engines learn about both. I will eventually make this stand-alone and replace the matching section on the Resources page with a link to this page.)

Not all of the suggestions for this list are gems, but when they are, I do like to capture them. If you find cool resources for encouraging or helping women and girls succeed in technology fields, let me know.

Technology is super cool and it shouldn’t care who makes it that way.

Encouraging Women and Girls to Pursue STEM

Girls Who Code (GirlsWhoCode.com) - According to their about page, 37% of computer scientists in 1995 were women. Today, it’s down to 24%. Attrition is highest between the ages of 13 and 17. “We're reaching girls around the world and are on track to close the gender gap in new entry-level tech jobs by 2030.”

ProjectCSGirls (ProjectCSGIRLS.com) - “ProjectCSGIRLS is a 501(c)(3) international nonprofit organization dedicated to closing the gender gap in computing and technology. Our unique idea of a technology and computer science competition for middle school girls stemmed from the fact that a large chunk of learning and development occurs during the critical middle school period.” (See the statistic above!)

Resources for Women in Computer Technology - This article reviews the history of women in computer science, current opportunities for women, and resources to help women explore and grow in computer science fields.

List of Scholarships for Women - This page has a list of scholarships for women organized by major or field. From the page (edited for clarity): In 2019, women constituted 56% of all enrolled college students, yet they hold almost two-thirds of cumulative student loan debt, which at the time had reached almost $1.46 trillion.

Career Guide for Women in Tech - “The tech sector can offer high salaries and great perks. Learn about job search strategies, tips for success, and employment resources for women in tech.” This article describes four steps to prepare for a career in technology: Determine your career interest, obtain an education, complete internships, and network.

Notable Women in Computing Special Edition Online Solitaire Game - This is an online Spider Solitaire game with a special edition custom deck design highlighting many of the most notable women in computing history.

I was sent a link to an article on Reviews.com entitled, “Bridging the Gender Divide: Guide to Overcoming Broadband Access to be a Woman Leader in STEM.” The article has some great content on the subject of girls in STEM, which you can jump to by clicking this link to the article. Down in the article is a pretty hefty list of links to things like scholarships, projects that encourage young girls to get into STEM, in-college programs that promote women in tech, and even a list of degrees in STEM. Check it out!

50 Women in the Tech Industry Every Man Should Know - (From the article intro) “The tech industry is a sector dominated by men. You’ve probably heard about well-known tech giants like Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos or Mark Zuckerberg, but you might not know about the equally impressive female tech gurus. Research shows that almost 80% of students cannot name a single famous woman working in tech. To solve this problem, we’ve got a list of the top 50 women in the tech industry you should know about!” (Thank you, Eva!)

Guide for Women in Computer Science: History, Roles, and Resources - As a number of the resources I’ve shared here show, this one talks about the history of women in computer science, explores the gender gap in computer science, and roles for women in the industry. It’s a quick and easy ready with plenty of links to more resources.

A Guide for Women in STEM: Closing the Gender Gap - (From the article intro) “Women are represented far less in technical occupations than men. According to the National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT), only 26% of computer and mathematical occupations are held by women.” Look at this article to find out more and to find resources for women in STEM, including scholarships and women’s universities with STEM degrees.

Big shout out to Brielle for giving me a link to start this section! :) Go be an engineer, Brielle!

Tips for Getting Girls Involved in STEM - SAM Reader Brielle sent me this link from ITHARE.com. From the ITHARE About page: [They are a collection of] H.A.R.E.[s], which stands for “Honest And Restless Engineer”. Other H.A.R.E. rabbits may include other sub-species, such as “Heartless And Rough Engineer”, or “Hyperactive And Rebellious Engineer”, or even “Harebrained And Reckless Engineer”. Overall, some scientists argue that all H.A.R.E.s can be described by the following formula: H[a-z]* And R[a-z]* Engineer, but this is still a subject of numerous debates within Rabbit Academia.

I borrowed some of H.A.R.E.’s links for getting girls into STEM and put them here, as well, to help spread the love:

The Society of Women Engineers – Learning - The world’s largest advocate and catalyst for change for women in engineering and technology.

The Association for Women in Mathematics Programs - The Association for Women in Mathematics sponsors a variety of programs and awards to encourage girls and women in the mathematical sciences.

Women in Technology International - WITI's mission is to empower women worldwide to achieve unimagined possibilities and transformations through technology, leadership and economic prosperity.

National Girls Collaborative Project - The vision of the National Girls Collaborative Project (NGCP) is to bring together organizations throughout the United States that are committed to informing and encouraging girls to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).

Getting Girls Interested in Science - Article (May 21, 2015) by By Kerri Jansen of Metro Parent for Southeast Michigan - Think girls aren't naturally interested in STEM? Turns out our culture may be turning them off before they even get a chance to enjoy scientific subjects.

Girls Inc. Girls in STEM - Girls Inc. provides year-round after-school programming, weekend activities, and experiences that expand upon and support girls’ STEM learning and engagement.

How to Engage Girls in Science - This guide gathers select print and electronic resources for educators, parents, researchers, and young women on how to get girls (particularly middle and high school aged) interested in science and scientific careers.

Inspiring Girls to Pursue Careers in STEM - An informal group of scientists at the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center (PCMSC) decided to help inspire girls to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) on Earth Day, April 22, 2013.

Encouraging Girls in Math and Science – What Works - A guide to provide teachers with specific recommendations for encouraging girls in math and science that can be carried out in the classroom without requiring systemic change. Other school personnel having direct contact with students, such as coaches, counselors, and principals, will also find the guide useful.

Effective STEM Programs for Adolescent Girls - A PDF document about three approaches (and “many lessons learned”) to effective STEM programs for adolescent girls. Written by Harriet S. Mosatche, Susan Matloff-Nieves, Linda Kekelis, and Elizabeth K. Lawner

Girl Scouts – STEM - From the page: “Research shows that girls are keenly interested in STEM and excel at it. Yet, for a variety of reasons, girls often don’t pursue STEM—starting as early as elementary school.” Girls Scouts is helping to change that.

Coding Resources for Women at Every Stage of Their Career - This page has a lot of good stuff for women interested in programming and tech. The major sections start with “The History of Women in Tech.” The other sections include “Coding Resources for Girls and Women at Every Age and Stage,” “Resources for Women Already in Tech,” and “Ways Companies Can Make Equitable Changes.”