In 1971, the US Congress declared that August 26th would be celebrated annually as Women’s Equality Day. This day was selected to honor the same date in 1920 when women were recognized as more than just second-class citizens and were allowed the right to vote in the United States by the enactment of the 19th amendment to the constitution. This was a marked event in history that suffragists fought long and hard for.

Unfortunately, even more than 100 years later, women across the world are still fighting for equality, especially in education and the work force. A disparity in areas like pay and opportunity have long existed and were further exacerbated during the pandemic. Harvard Business Review sites a McKinsey analysis from 2020 that showed women’s jobs were almost twice as vulnerable during the early months of the pandemic as compared to the jobs of men.

This disparity has certainly been present in STEM education and career fields, particularly in minority groups and underdeveloped areas of the world. Many professionals including engineers are well aware of this imbalance and strive to provide the STEM opportunities for women, starting with young girls. There are several initiatives from IEEE Volunteers to do this, many of which are presented right here on TryEngineering.org. Some examples include the Girls in STEM TryEngineering Tuesday event presented by IEEE Women in Engineering and Enhancing the Participation of Girls of Bule Hora in STEM Courses of Bule Hora University Volunteer Program (read the full spotlight here!)

Are You A Girl Who Loves STEM? These YouTube Channels Are For You!

Many girls love science and technology, but rarely get to see themselves in these fields. That’s because women are underrepresented in STEM, making up only about 27% of professionals in the STEM workforce. As a result, girls lack women they can look up to in science and engineering, which can make them feel like they don’t belong there. To help fix this problem, a number of women in STEM have created some fun and educational STEM YouTube channels for girls. Check them out!

All About Her: Launched by California high schooler Shreya Anand, All About Her features interviews with professional women in STEM. Anand started the channel in the hopes that it would spark other girls’ interest in STEM. The interviews include mentorship and advice for girls who want to learn science and technology.

Msbeautyphile: Learn all about the chemicals in your makeup with this beautifying Youtube series from Trina Espinoza.

Physics Girl: Hosted by physics and astrophysics expert Dianna Cowern, this PBS digital series teaches girls all about physics

Geek Gurl Diaries: Launched by computing and ITC educator Carrie Anne Philbin, Geek Gurl Diaries offers educational videos to help girls learn to code, as well as interviews with professional women in STEM.

Vintage Space: In this weird YouTube series, “space history nerd” Ami Shira Teitel answers all your questions about space — like how do astronauts use the bathroom?

The Brain Scoop: Hosted by museum expert Emiliy Graslie, this unique YouTube series will give you an understanding of how natural history museums operate and why they are important to society. 

Bite Sci-zed: Do you love genetics? Check out this fun YouTube series by Alex Dainis, a PhD candidate at Stanford University