Empowering Women Through ESTE: Unlocking Potential for a More Inclusive Future
From a young age, girls around the world are filled with potential, creativity, and the desire to shape their futures. Yet, societal structures often limit their opportunities, particularly in STEM fields, where systemic barriers discourage their full participation. Although women make invaluable contributions in these areas, many face an uphill battle to be seen, heard, and respected. By utilizing the ESTE framework, which emphasizes the alignment of personal motivations with societal needs, women and girls can be empowered to unlock their full potential in entrepreneurship, science, technology, and engineering.
Recent research demonstrates that gender stereotypes start early and can significantly impact girls' interest in STEM fields. A study by Master, Meltzoff, and Cheryan (PNAS, 2021) found that by as early as age 6, girls are exposed to societal messages that they are less interested in computer science and engineering than boys. These gender-interest stereotypes have been shown to have a stronger impact on girls' participation in STEM than even gender-ability stereotypes. Addressing these early influences is critical to shaping a future where girls are encouraged to pursue STEM fields, and this aligns with the broader goal of fostering an inclusive environment through the ESTE framework.
Fostering Entrepreneurship from an Early Age
Entrepreneurship requires resilience, creativity, and a willingness to work with unknowns to create something new. These are traits many young girls already display, yet societal norms often limit their expression as they grow older. The PNAS study highlighted how gender stereotypes discourage girls from pursuing STEM-related ventures, often leading to a reduced sense of belonging in these fields. When girls internalize the belief that they are not interested or don’t belong in these spaces, it dampens their confidence and willingness to take risks.
To support girls in overcoming these barriers, schools and community programs should provide opportunities for girls to engage in entrepreneurial thinking—whether through business challenges, problem-solving exercises, or mentorship with female leaders. This will not only inspire confidence but will also normalize the idea of women as innovators who can navigate the unknowns of business and industry.
Promoting Discovery through Science
Science, as a field of inquiry, is all about asking questions and seeking answers. Encouraging girls to pursue scientific discovery taps into their natural curiosity, yet societal stereotypes about who “belongs” in science often exclude them. The PNAS study found that gender-interest stereotypes, which suggest girls are less interested than boys in fields like computer science and engineering, start in early childhood and influence girls' academic choices throughout their schooling.
Programs that emphasize exploration and hands-on scientific experiences can counteract these stereotypes. Schools and families can foster environments where girls feel supported in their scientific pursuits by offering mentorship, creating science clubs, and showcasing successful female scientists. Addressing these stereotypes early is crucial because, as the study notes, girls' sense of belonging in STEM fields is strongly tied to their interest in participating.
Building with Technology: Encouraging Technical Skills
Women in technology play a critical role in creating tools and systems that shape the future. Yet, as early as age six, stereotypes suggest to girls that they are less interested in fields like computer science, even though these fields are among the most lucrative and impactful STEM careers. The PNAS study showed that these stereotypes contribute to a lower sense of belonging, which, in turn, reduces girls' motivation to pursue technological fields.
Encouraging girls to participate in coding camps, robotics clubs, or technology-focused workshops helps build technical skills while countering harmful stereotypes. By reframing technology as a tool for solving real-world problems and emphasizing collaboration over competition, schools and tech programs can make the field more welcoming to girls. Furthermore, including more visible role models in the tech space can help reinforce the message that women are not only capable of succeeding in technology but are essential to its advancement.
Engineering for Change: Problem-Solving as a Pathway
Engineering offers an exciting blend of creativity and practicality. Yet, the engineering field remains one of the most male-dominated professions. Girls often lose interest in engineering because they don’t see how it connects to their interests or how they can make a difference through it. The PNAS study demonstrates that these gender-interest stereotypes negatively affect girls’ interest in engineering as early as first grade, with these stereotypes growing stronger as they progress through school.
Mentorship programs and project-based learning initiatives that allow girls to design, build, and see the tangible outcomes of their work are key to changing the perception that engineering is only for men. Schools can play a critical role by showcasing how girls’ unique perspectives can lead to creative, impactful engineering solutions.
Action Items for Empowering Future Innovators:
Encourage Girls' Participation in STEM Early: Schools and communities should provide early exposure to STEM activities, particularly ones that emphasize creativity, collaboration, and real-world problem-solving. This helps combat the harmful stereotypes that take root as early as age six.
Build Mentorship Networks for Young Girls: Connecting young girls with female mentors in STEM fields can have a lasting impact on their confidence and interest in these areas. Successful women in STEM can serve as role models to show girls that they too can achieve greatness.
Support Inclusive Learning Environments: Both formal and informal education systems should create safe, supportive spaces where girls feel empowered to explore STEM without fear of judgment or exclusion.
Highlight Women’s Achievements in STEM: Schools and media can highlight the achievements of women in STEM, particularly those who have used their skills to address social issues, reinforcing the idea that girls can be both innovators and changemakers.
By focusing on empowering girls from an early age, we can create a pipeline of future women leaders who are ready to take on challenges in entrepreneurship, science, technology, and engineering. Encouraging their participation in these fields is not only a matter of equity but essential to ensuring a future where all of society's talent is harnessed for innovation and progress.
[Master, A., Meltzoff, A. N., & Cheryan, S. (2021). Gender stereotypes about interests start early and cause gender disparities in computer science and engineering. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 118(48), e2100030118. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2100030118; Hill, C., Corbett, C., & St. Rose, A. (2010). Why So Few? Women in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. American Association of University Women. https://www.aauw.org/resources/research/the-stem-gap/]
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