After all, as Mayor Garcetti noted, it is the only way forward: “…in Los Angeles, we cannot stay stuck in the past in fields that are meant to shape our future. Women in STEM serves to recognize and unite women in STEM and to discuss important topics in our respective fields. LA County has more tech jobs than any other county in the United States and initiatives like WiSTEM ensure an equitable and diverse workforce will keep Los Angeles at the forefront of innovation. This is particularly pertinent to LA as the city experiences an influx of tech giants. With startups and corporations moving in, from Headspace to Google, it is critical that LA promotes and implements initiatives like WiSTEM to prevent gender imbalances as the industry grows. That is not to say that every female consumer of technology should immediately quit her job and move into a STEM field however, including women in STEM is logical from a strategic perspective, as incorporating diverse viewpoints is proven to consistently deliver better, more creative, and inclusive ideas. After all, why would the early - certainly male - cardiologists look outside of their own bodies?) And in the most extreme situations, it means fatal misunderstandings of fundamental differences between biological sexes (It wasn’t until 1989 that researchers learned that heart disease presents differently in females than it does in males. From a business strategy standpoint, it means a lack of perspective from the “largest single economic force” (women account for 85% of consumer purchases). A lack of women in STEM means a lack of perspective from 50% of the population. Not just because I am one, but because I am a human being who values opportunity, diversity of thought, inclusion, and collaboration. Women in STEM is a topic I feel strongly about. The overarching theme of the event was clear: the world needs women in STEM.

The launch event showcased several successful women in STEM professions, ranging from the creator of a virtual reality circus to a woman who assisted the Mars Curiosity rover landing.

The office of Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti launched its Women in STEM (WiSTEM) L.A. initiative on September 15th to combat this drop-off. What we are seeing is a systematic deterrence of women pursuing STEM careers - not always intentionally, but pervasive nonetheless. After all, more than 60% of college graduates are women.

Sitting within the UT Austin Division of Diversity and Community Engagement (DDCE) administrative unit, WiSTEM leads exemplary and nationally recognized pre-college and undergraduate student STEM programs with a longstanding history such STEM Girl Day at UT Austin. The staggering drop-off cannot solely be attributed to a weak pipeline. Women in STEM (WiSTEM) is closing the STEM gender gap by creating an inspired and diverse community of confident STEM leaders. Women in STEM (WiSTEM) at UT Austin (UTWiSTEM) / Twitter Women in STEM (WiSTEM) at UT Austin UTWiSTEM Outreach, recruiting and retention program for pre-college and undergraduate students in STEM. And yet, fewer than 25% of STEM jobs are held by women.

Wistem