^{28 sept. 2022}

Barco champions girls´ education in STEM by hosting charity event in Atlanta

2 minutos leídos

Did you know that women still make up only 34% of the STEM workforce in the US, with significant underrepresentation in engineering and computer sciences (16% and 26%)?

Or that at a university level only around 20% of students in engineering, computer science and physics are women?⁽¹⁾

At Barco, bridging the gender divide in STEM by inspiring girls to explore these fields is a cause very close to our hearts.

We believe girls and women everywhere should have the skills and confidence to consider a career in STEM, dare to shape the future of science and technology and reach for the stars; and it´s never too early to start sparking curiosity in young girls about these fields.

That is why, on September 22, at our Barco headquarters in Atlanta (Georgia), we hosted the AVIXA Women´s Council charity event and packing party. The event supported one of the Rosie Riveters initiatives for engaging girls in STEM education. The results?

Volunteers from Barco, AVIXA and other organizations have packed 252 binary coding kits for elementary-aged girls.

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These kits create hands-on STEM learning experiences and include access to exclusive STEM-focused video content.

Children learn about the two-bit system that forms the basis of computing. The kit helps explain how computers use binary code to perform the tasks humans direct them to do. The decoder inside helps them translate their name into binary and use beads to represent it on a bracelet, resulting in awesome binary jewellery.

Jennifer Schnell (Channel Account Manager at Barco, member of the AVIXA Women´s Council, Atlanta Chapter) told us: ´We are delighted to have hosted this event and we thank our participants for their enthusiasm and for contributing to such an important cause. Initiatives like these are key to more inclusive organizations, diverse ideas and creative innovation. ´

The kits will reach hundreds of students from several grade levels in selected schools in Georgia and will be delivered during the Computer Science Education Week in December.