With demand for technology and engineering talent rising, not enough minority students are pursuing careers in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields, some panelists said at a SXSWedu discussion March 5.
Highlighting professionals who are female, African-American or Hispanic role models in the community is one way to bridge the gap, according to Sonia Gaillard, who works as director of St Michael's Catholic Academy's Entrepreneurship Center for Economic and Social Innovation.
At the South by Southwest Music and Media Conference panel "Plugging the Leaks in the STEM Pipeline," Gaillard held up a printed copy of a photo meme that she said is circulating on Facebook. The image shows a group of African-American celebrities such as P. Diddy and Tiger Woods holding cell phones, and asks why children recognize their faces, but don't recognize the face of Henry Samson, an African-American inventor who pioneered cell phone technology. Showing images of these leaders can provide reinforcement to students that there are scientists "who look like them," she said.
Students at the Ann Richards School for Young Women Leaders in Austin get to meet and work with such professionals firsthand, she explained, as students are required to take a pre-engineering course and complete an internship working with professionals in the field.
