By Debra Donston-Miller
One of Meera Petroff’s earliest memories of “doing science” happened during a second-grade field trip to a local water treatment plant. In addition to visiting the plant, the class examined native plants and an aquifer. Now a freshman at Oregon State University, Petroff’s journey from wide-eyed elementary student to college computer and electrical engineering major is a perfect example of how encouraging young female students to get involved with science, technology, engineering, and math—or STEM—benefits not only the students themselves, but society as a whole.
In 2011, Petroff and a team of fellow STEM students at Salem, Oregon's, West Salem High School won the grand prize in the Samsung Solve for Tomorrow competition. Petroff’s team, which also included three male teammates, topped over 1,100 others from schools across the United States. To study the impact of hydroelectric dams on the salmon population in the Columbia River, the West Salem team built wind turbines, monitored water quality, and even constructed miniature solar-powered vehicles. The students saw firsthand the ways science and technology interact with local communities and the natural world.
For their efforts, West Salem High School won over $150,000 worth of education technology, including smart boards, LED TVs, computers and classroom software. And for Petroff, the contest was a catalyst in determining the career path she would eventually take. Before the contest Petroff was more interested in humanities than science, but the Solve for Tomorrow experience helped her to see how tightly art and science are intertwined.
“I think my biggest epiphany from Solve for Tomorrow was that science and creativity go hand in hand,” said Petroff. “For our project, creativity was a must in order to understand and to convey how STEM-related issues affect both our community and the Pacific Northwest in general. And then, being successful when we made a project we were really proud of gave me the confidence to realize that, well, if I pursue something in the STEM field, I can still use creativity, and I could be good at it.”
STEM Opportunities for All
Petroff’s story shows how powerful—and how necessary—exposure to STEM experiences can be. Women are currently underrepresented in STEM-related subjects and professions in workplaces throughout the United States, according to a report from the U.S. Department of Commerce. Women hold nearly half of all jobs in the U.S., but less than 25 percent of all STEM jobs. The study cites a lack of female role models in STEM professions and gender stereotyping as key reasons for gender disparity in STEM-related fields.
Changing that dynamic and encouraging more women to enter STEM-related careers is important to the future of the U.S. economy—a future that hinges partly on producing a strong crop of STEM graduates.
Petroff’s early exposure to science – along with constant encouragement from family and educators such as Michael Lampert, the high school teacher who led her team to win the Solve For Tomorrow prize—played a critical role in her decision to pursue a STEM undergraduate degree.
“I think the most influential person as far as my interest in science goes was… Mr. Lampert,” Petroff said. “He worked so hard to find different opportunities to pursue as far as outside of the classroom. With him, it’s not just science in the classroom; it’s outside the classroom, as well.”
Experiences like these during her education at West Salem offered her the ability to practice real, inquiry-based science -- rather than just reading from a textbook.
Opening the Doors for Girls in STEM
Ongoing support is key to encouraging young women to pursue STEM fields. SciWorks, a PBS project designed to encourage young women’s interest in STEM, provides a number of ways that parents and teachers can help, from offering a “STEM-friendly home” to simply talking to girls about science and engaging with what they’re learning in school.
It's critical that this level of encouragement start early, both in the home and in the classroom.
“Meera’s story is a perfect example of how Samsung Solve for Tomorrow helps inspire both girls and boys to take an active interest in pursuing STEM studies,” said David Steel, executive vice president of Samsung Electronics North America. “We aim to foster future innovators by showing students how fun and powerful STEM can be.”
Read more about the Samsung Solve for Tomorrow competition in the April 14, 2014 issue of FORBES magazine.
Debra Donston-Miller has been covering the intersection of business and IT for more than 20 years. Formerly editor of eWEEK, Donston-Miller now develops content for a variety of leading media outlets.
