IEEE and Girlโ Scouts Collaborate to Inspire Next Generation of STEM Leaders
DALLASโข – IEEE โฃand the Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas (GSNETX) partnered to host a โคSTEM-focused career fair aimed โคat sparking interest in science, technology,โข engineering, and mathematics among young girls. The event, held recently, featured interactive exhibits designed to โdemonstrate โthe real-world applications of STEM fields and introduce girls to potential career paths.
The collaboration underscores a shared commitment to โdiversifying STEM,asโ noted by Craig Polk,stating,”IEEE and the Girl Scouts share a view that STEM fields require a diversity โof thought,experience,and backgrounds to beโค able to use technology to โbetter the world.”
IEEE Senior Member Gautami โคNadkarn exemplified this approach โwith a cloud computing exhibit.Nadkarn, who holds a master’s degree in management details โsystems from the State โขUniversity of New York, Buffalo, and a bachelor’sโฃ degree in engineering from Dwarkadas Jivanlal Sanghvi Collage of Engineering in Mumbai, presented herself as a “superhero for โฃbig companies,” explaining her roleโ in data security and institution to the Girl Scouts. โฃ
Her exhibit included โhands-on activities like a โdinosaur-sorting exercise to illustrate data management, a puzzle focused on dataโ security, and a demonstration of Google Cloud’s Image 3 text-to-image โฃmodel. Theโค girls used the AI tool to create images โคbased on their imaginations, including a โdog riding a unicycle on a boat, and experimented with voice modulation.
GSNETX representative Nurjahan emphasized the impact of such interactions, stating that even brief engagementโค “gives them a glimpse of their potentialโฃ and sparks hope for the future, no matter what careerโข they choose.” Nadkarn herself highlighted the untapped potential within cloud engineering,โ aiming to demonstrate โขthat it’s “not boring” and relevant to everyday life.
