The Fondazione Mondo Digitale at the first edition of the Stem Women Congress.
The Fondazione Mondo Digitale at the first edition of the Stem Women Congress.
Yesterday, Base Milano hosted the first Italian edition of Stem Women Congress, an event dedicated to bridging the gender gap in technical and scientific subjects.
Targeting companies, institutions, schools, and organisations, the initiative was started in Barcelona in 2019 and promoted by the Stem Women Association. When we refer to STEM, we are speaking about all subjects related to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. In fact, STEM stands for “Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics.” Gender equality is still far from being achieved in these areas, both in Italy and abroad, as pointed out by SWC in its Annual Report 2023.
The Fondazione Mondo Digitale, one of the organisations promoting the event, participated in three activities.
Here is a short summary of the statements of Mirta Michilli, Cecilia Stajano, and Ait Taleb Naser Ikram
Director General Mirta Michilli, Innovation panel:
“The Fondazione Mondo Digitale acts at a systemic level by involving schools, universities, companies, and institutions in orienting young women towards STEM careers, so that they can make conscious choices and learn to recognize where the opportunities lie. We act as a link between steps, involving young men and women in role modelling sessions to help them bring out their full potential, to find their true nature.”
Cecilia Stajano, Community Coordinator, "In conversation with..." on the issue of "Young Women and the World of Coding."
“We bring the best talent from universities into schools to guide and inspire students to become the people they desire. STEM is a point of arrival that requires curiosity. Science can help, but this attitude is not the prerogative of STEM. Knowledge is what makes us free. The more we know, the more easily we can grasp to new possibilities and opportunities. We don't need to do anything to make a true difference: just teach something, help others with one’s abilities, experiences, and even mistakes. We must open ourselves to knowledge and not exclude anyone.”
In “Dedicated to Young Women,” Ait Taleb Naser Ikram, master's student in data science and Coding Girls Coach:
“At 17, when the time came to choose a university programme, I felt lost. I excluded scientific subjects a priori. In hindsight, I understand that I did so because I was influenced by stereotypes. Sometimes, we can be our own worst enemies. This is what I think: I am my biggest obstacle. I am a woman, it's true, but also a second-generation Italian. So, it's even more difficult for me. I have to prove that I'm worth four times as much, not twice as much. Sometimes, it's difficult to believe in myself. I try to do it every day, even with activities that take me out of my comfort zone, as was the case with Coding Girls. I decided to work on the programme so that other girls would not make my same mistake.”
