Our colleague, dr. Emilija Stojmenova Duh, was chosen as one of the 50 women leaders in ICT, to take part in the Multi-regional project #HiddenNoMore: Advancing Women in STEAM Fields”, founded by the United States Department of State.
This project will examine women’s contributions to science, technology, engineering, the arts, and mathematics (STEAM) through research and development, education and teaching, leadership, and public policy formulation. The project supports the Department’s strategic goal of enhancing economic growth through the contributions of women. The project is inspired by the hit film, ‘Hidden Figures,’ which shares the untold story of the courageous African American women working at NASA in the 1960s, whose contributions in mathematics launched the first U.S. astronaut into orbit. This project seeks to empower global leaders in STEAM who may represent “hidden talent” in their home communities. Participants will explore best practices in the effective recruitment, training, and development of women and other underrepresented groups in STEAM and learn how they can institutionalize opportunities for women in their own countries.
The project will open in Washington, DC, the seat of the U.S. federal government. Participants will meet with female scientists working at the national level, including representatives of nonprofit organizations, research institutions and government agencies. From Washington, DC, the group will divide to visit six U.S. cities – Charleston, South Carolina; Greensboro, North Carolina; Huntsville, Alabama; Little Rock, Arkansas; Orlando, Florida; and Pensacola, Florida – demonstrating the diversity of American culture, landscape and community involvement. Programming in each city will focus on STEAM education and engagement with youth, but smaller teams will allow for in-depth discussion with interlocutors.
The group will reunite into two larger split teams in Boston, Massachusetts and Chicago, Illinois. Each team will visit a prominent research laboratory or institution and attend a panel discussion focused on women’s leadership in STEM-related fields. The program will also highlight education and outreach programs at science institutions and local museums of science. Finally, each group will take part in a community engagement event where participants can speak about their work and meet local citizens.
The group will end their project in Los Angeles, California. An intragroup discussion will allow participants to share experiences from the team cities. The program will highlight university-based robotics centers and explore the importance of gender depictions in film and media. Participants may also visit the California Science Center, home to the Space Shuttle Endeavor exhibit and related space-based workshops. A day-long visit to 21st Century Fox Studios will focus on science-based careers in the private sector.
