One of the brightest trends happening in technology right now is the increasing support and resources being offered for women and girls in tech.
Last weekend more than 50 middle school girls became ‘girlpreneurs’ at Startup Weekend Girls Edition. Last week, at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Melinda Gates spoke about how she got her girls interested in math and science. Gates said, “…What’s the biggest predictor of whether a girl will go into a STEM field? Whether her father believes in her.” Gates’ own father was an engineer who encouraged her to explore STEM studies.
Encouragement and opportunity are crucial elements for bringing more women and minorities into science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields.
Last year two 8 and 10 year old Seattle sisters sent a balloon to the edge of space and the female entrepreneurs behind buddingSTEM won Geek of the Year at the Geekwire Awards.
BuddingSTEM encourages girls to be interested in STEM education through clothing that features astronauts, spaceships, dinosaurs and other science-minded characters and designs geared for girls.
At New Tech Northwest, we’re excited about our February New Tech Seattle – Women in Tech Event – created in partnership with Women in Tech Seattle (WiT) to highlight women who are doing great things with technology. The presenters for our Feb 17 event in Pioneer Square will all be women – including leaders from zulily and Expedia. Everyone is invited. In fact, we encourage you to come out and help us celebrate all of the women in technology who are contributing to local innovation and ingenuity!
To support and build on the wave of women entering and excelling in technology fields, New Tech Northwest (NTNW) will have four Women in Tech events every year, beginning with our February 17 Seattle event. There will be another NTNW Seattle Women in Techevent in December – as well as Women in Tech events at New Tech Eastside in March and December.
Check our online Events Calendar to stay on top of these special events and others.
The Seattle tech community is doing more all the time to increase interest in STEM for underserved minorities, veterans, kids, girls and women. You can explore manyeducational options on the NTNW site including Coder Dojo, Youth Digital and Coding With Kids, ChickTech, StudentRND and Geek Girls Carrots for high school girls, National Center for Women in Information Technology for women, Technology Access Foundation and Tech Diversified for African Americans, and Veterans Education Assistance Program, Entrepreneur Bootcamp for Veterans and VetStartups for veterans. All the links you need are on the NTNW website.
The resources and opportunities to further diversify our tech community are growing all the time. Spread the word – and if you learn of any resources we’re missing please share them with us.
I encourage you to check on the Statistics for the State of Girls and Women in STEM on the National Girls Collaborative Project website. Share the graphic on your social channels and come out on February 17th to New Tech Northwest in Seattle to support and encourage the work and advancement of women and girls working in tech in OUR community!
See you on Feb 11 in Tacoma and Feb 17 in Seattle!
