Why STEAM Education Is Important for Young Girls

Women have always contributed to STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math) industries, often without recognition. According to Statistics Canada, only 23% of Canadians working in science and technology are women. This gap holds women back and also means STEAM fields miss out on fresh ideas and talents from different perspectives. Today, girls entering architecture, engineering, and science are following in the footsteps of female pioneers who challenged the status quo.

For example:

• Zaha Hadid, known as the Queen of Curves, transformed architecture with her futuristic and fluid designs.

• Norma Merrick Sklarek, one of the first Black female architects in the U.S., broke both racial and gender barriers in a time of significant exclusion.

Many girls lose interest in STEAM by middle school due to stereotypes, peer pressure, and a lack of role models. But when they’re exposed to hands-on STEAM activities, their confidence and interest grow. Studies show that girls who enjoy arts, coding, or robotics are much more likely to pursue STEAM in school and as a career.

Why STEAM for Girls?

STEAM isn’t just about textbooks and classrooms, it’s about creativity, exploration, and hands-on learning. When girls take part in STEAM activities, they get to build, test, and try again, all which helps them grow more confident in their ideas and abilities. These projects also develop critical thinking skills by encouraging girls to solve problems from different angles and combine creativity with technology. On top of that, STEAM encourages collaboration, helping girls learn to communicate, work as a team, and build important life skills like leadership.

Introducing girls to STEAM unlocks access to high-impact careers. Fields like architecture, medical research, environmental science and so more are full of exciting opportunities and put more women in a place to make bigger decisions about how we live and interact with our world.

Art + Science = Magic

You might have heard of STEM before but why the extra A? STEAM adds art to STEM, creating space for those who love to design, draw, and imagine. The arts enhance scientific thinking and lead to innovation in surprising ways like designing buildings with sustainability in mind or engineering theme parks with imaginative experiences.

How to Start?

You don’t need a lab or studio to spark STEAM curiosity. Here’s how to get started:

• Try some STEAM activities at home together like DIY city projects , bridge building, and more!

• Explore STEAM Resources like CAGIS, Girls Who Code, GoldieBlox, or SciGirls

• Read STEAM books together

• Look for local STEAM camps (like our very own Petit Architect workshops) or other workshops tailored to girls in STEAM

• Talk and learn about real women in STEAM like Zaha Hadid, Mae Jemison, or Gitanjali Rao

• Be a role model and show your own curiosity!

Encouraging girls in STEAM is essential. These fields need diverse thinkers and creators to build a better future for us all. By supporting young girls with tools and opportunities, we open the door to so many more possibilities. So dream big, build bold, and support the next generation of women in STEAM because the world needs more architects, engineers, and creators, and some of them just might be the girls in your life.

Bonus: The STEAM Heroes Hall of Fame

• Gitanjali Rao: Inventor and TIME’s top young innovator of 2020 for her work using tech to tackle big problems.

• Samaira Mehta: Creator of the coding board game CoderBunnyz at just 8 years old.

• Zainab Azim: The world’s Youngest Future Astronaut

• Emily Almloff: The youngest registered architect in the USA