February 11th: international day of women and girls in science

"What exactly does an engineer do? Can I do it even if I didn't go to a science-focused highschool? Will I be good enough?

This time of the year many female high school students are asking themselves these questions as they consider their choice of college path. Many of their peers are asking themselves them as well; the difference is that, among girls, only a very small percentage will ultimately choose to enroll in an engineering course.

On the occasion of the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, proclaimed by the United Nations for February 11 and sponsored by UNESCO, the Politecnico di Milano has launched EnginHERing PoliMi, a project to bring girls closer to engineering, and in particular to the study paths that still today see a very low presence of women. The University launches the project with the words and experiences of female students, researchers and Alumnae of the Politecnico, who tell of the still little-explored reality of female engineers.

Politecnico's commitment to reducing the gender gap in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) subjects is also told in the book "Alumnae: Engineering and Technology." The book collects the stories of 67 female graduates between 1990 and 2014, who tell their stories to invite future female students to follow in their footsteps at Politecnico di Milano.