About SciSisters
SciSisters is a multimedia platform and mentorship initiative created to address the gender gap in the STEM workforce. By making a wide range of careers in science, medicine, and tech more accessible, relatable, and visible to girls from elementary school through college, SciSisters aims to spark interest in STEM among youth and teens. This site and our instagram page, SciSisters.org, also offer community, peer learning, and support.
The "SciSisters meets..." interview series and podcast is at the core of our mission: leading by example, presenting female leaders from the field, showing our audience what these careers actually look like, who is thriving in them, and how they got there. Through storytelling, resources, and mentorship, we present a clear path to the many diverse careers in STEM, helping girls build the curiosity and the confidence to imagine themselves in these fields.
Despite increasing national attention on gender equity, women remain significantly underrepresented in science, technology, engineering, mathematics (STEM) and the healthcare fields. According to the U.S. Census Bureau (2021), only 27% of STEM workers are women. The numbers are even lower for women of color. This underrepresentation begins long before college or employment. Research shows that many girls lose interest in STEM subjects by the age of ten, not because of a lack of ability or potential, but due to a combination of factors including limited exposure, gendered stereotypes, and a lack of visible role models. Girls who do not see anyone who looks like them succeeding in STEM often begin to believe those careers are not for them.
This disparity has far-reaching consequences beyond employment statistics. Careers in STEM are among the fastest-growing and highest-paying, and access to these fields contributes significantly to long-term financial security, self-reliance, and positive mental health. When girls are discouraged from entering STEM, they lose access to an entire world of opportunity, and we lose out on the diverse perspectives that help to drive innovation, improve problem-solving, and create more equitable solutions in science and technology. Lack of representation in these fields perpetuates a cycle where women are less likely to enter STEM, less likely to stay, and less likely to rise to leadership roles.
