The Apollo 11 Moon Landing Anniversary Is a Reminder of the Importance of Women in STEM
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When we think of the first human moon landing on July 20, 1969, most of us think of Neil Armstrong, the astronaut who famously took “one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” Missing from that memory — and quote? Women. In fact, it took decades before many of us knew anything about the female NASA engineers who were pivotal in getting Armstrong’s predecessor, astronaut John Glynn, into space. Katherine Johnson, one of the black women NASA employees represented in the 2017 film Hidden Figures, finally got recognized with her own NASA center at the age of 99. And the women portrayed in Hidden Figures certainly weren’t NASA’s only unsung heroes in the early days of space exploration. Female scientists like JoAnn Morgan and Margaret Hamilton played significant roles in the Apollo 11 mission that landed Armstrong and fellow astronaut Buzz Aldrin on the moon — though neither received much public recognition until later in life.
In the decades since those major moon missions, we’ve certainly made progress when it comes to the representation and involvement of women in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields. In the past few years alone, we’ve seen that progress in trailblazers like General Motors executive Pamela Fletcher and teen hackathon creator Catherine Yeo; organizations like Girls Who Code, Black Girls Code, and Kode With Klossy; and even Barbie’s new engineering career. But we’ve also seen the need for continued improvement. According to The Brookings Institution, although women in the U.S. earn more than half of all four-year college degrees, they make up only 22% of the STEM workforce. And the women who do pursue STEM careers tend to face a slew of challenges and obstacles.
One thing is certain, though: The progress will continue. So in honor of Apollo 11’s upcoming 50th anniversary, we’re celebrating not only female STEM heroes who helped make it happen, but also those leading the charge into the future. Ahead, hear from 12 inspiring advocates on their experiences, the importance of women in STEM, and what lies ahead.
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Courtesy of Dianna Cowern1/12Dianna Cowern, host of Physics Girl, on science’s unexpected “cool” factor
“When I was a kid, it was cool to say ‘I hate science!’ To combat that sentiment, we need role models sharing their love of learning. When someone imagines a scientist, I want them to picture women as often as they picture men. In particular, we need more diverse representation of ‘smart people’ in movies — more women, more minorities, more people who don’t look stereotypically nerdy. I’m thankful my role models pushed me past the ‘I hate science’ phase, because deep down I knew I loved science. …[And] STEM jobs are so cool and so diverse! You could design ice cream machines, travel to exploding volcanoes, design unicorn video games, and make discoveries no one’s ever made. There’s no reason women shouldn’t be equally represented in these awesome fields.”
Phil McCarten / Courtesy of Aomawa Shields2/12Aomawa Shields, astrobiologist, classically trained actress, and founder of Rising Stargirls, on not trying to fit into a preconceived “scientist” image
“When I returned to astronomy after leaving the field for over a decade to pursue acting as a career, I thought I had to downplay and hide my background in the arts. A mentor told me to view my theater background as my superpower. She was right. It totally is! It helps me to communicate the results of my research in ways that are unique and engaging to a broad range of audiences.
It took me a long time to let myself be who I am — which is someone who absolutely loves makeup and fashion — and do science. I realized that if I bought into my own limiting belief that I couldn’t be myself and do what I loved, I was the one who was going to suffer and miss out on the chance to fulfill my wildest dreams of studying the universe and communicating the wonders of the universe to the world. I didn’t want to miss that chance. ...No human being gets to tell me what I’m supposed to do (or not supposed to do) with my life. I am what a scientist looks like. And so are you.”
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Courtesy of Erica Baker3/12Erica Baker, engineer manager at Microsoft and founding member of Project Include, on overcoming hurdles to work in STEM
“I’ve been working with computers since I was a young girl. When I was in my late teens, I realized that I could make a good career out of my love of computers and so I went for it. I faced many hurdles in doing so, which were compounded by being not just a woman, but a black woman. I was underestimated, undervalued, and under supported — which...is not an uncommon story. Thankfully, I was able to find a good support system, which made it easier for me to overcome those hurdles.
There are many ways to work in STEM. Pretty much anything someone has interest in has a STEM component; you just might need to think creatively to find that. There are also many paths to getting work in STEM. Some paths are shorter than others, [and] some paths are more difficult than others; but as long as you are staying true to yourself and your goals, there is no wrong way to get here or be here.”
Courtesy of Sahana Srinivasan4/12Sahana Srinivasan, host of Netflix’s Brainchild, on continuing to bust stereotypes of women in STEM
“The stereotype of women as weak in math and science has prevailed for years; but now it’s less obvious than it used to be. Instead of outright stating that women can’t become scientists, you’ll hear mathematicians or scientists in hypothetical scenarios referred to as ‘he’ instead of ‘she.’ Images in the media of scientists, doctors, and engineers are often represented by male figures. We need to change that rhetoric and show that women are just as capable, passionate, and intelligent when it comes to math, science, and engineering. Taking an intersectional approach is also important. Seeing more women of color as role models in science and math will allow young girls of color to feel included and confident in pursuing a passion or eventually a career in STEM.”
Bill Stafford - NASA - JSC/Courtesy of Nicole Stott5/12Nicole Stott, astronaut, engineer, and artist, on being a female astronaut and the power of visibility
“While I would love to see more female astronauts, and I’m thankful that the numbers are increasing...I absolutely loved my time as a NASA engineer and astronaut. Everywhere I worked for NASA, including as an astronaut, I felt like I was being judged for the work I did, not for the work I did as a woman. ...Women are present and actively involved in all areas of aerospace, including paving the way for our return to the moon and further exploration of space…[and] I think...young women need to see someone like them doing something they might otherwise believe is impossible. The spaceship doesn’t care if you’re a boy or girl, but the girls (and boys) need to know that. The best way for them to realize the possibilities and opportunities that are available for them is...to see examples.”
Courtesy of Allison Esposito Medina6/12Allison Esposito Medina, Founder and CEO of Tech Ladies, on why women need to be equally represented in STEM fields
“Technology that’s being built today and in the future is going to be used by all kinds of people, not just one race or one gender. That means the people making these systems and products should have input from people who experience the world the way their users [and] customers do. It’s important that we not just focus on building a future that includes flying cars...and leave society in a backwards reality where only white men are given the chance to create tech. We’d all be missing out! No one knows where the next big innovation is going to come from, and it moves humanity forward to open up the possibilities to as many folks as possible, not just the ones born in the right zip codes or with the ‘right’ gender.”
Courtesy of Allie Weber7/12Allie Weber, inventor, co-host of MythBusters Jr, and former Teen Vogue 21 Under 21 honoree, on her dream for the future of women in STEM
“My greatest goal is that, at some point, this doesn’t even need to be a conversation anymore. I see it as very important right now to be visible to those younger than me, to be a girl in STEM, so that girls can see someone doing things they might not have thought of as an option. But one day, we will just be known as ‘the engineer,’ ‘the technology developer,’ ‘the scientist’ — with no need for the word ‘female’ or ‘woman’ or ‘girl’ in front of it. I purposefully include other girls, and their work, in my social media posts because it is so easy for people to get hung up on the visible things I have done and think, ‘WOW a girl in STEM!!!’ like I am some kind of imaginary creature. There are so many girls doing amazing things; most are not as visible as I am, but I don’t want anyone to think that there isn’t an army of capable female robot builders and scientists out there ready to take their places in the world, too.”
Courtesy of Taylor Richardson8/12Taylor Richardson, aspiring astronaut, teen advocate of women of color in STEM, and former Teen Vogue 21 Under 21 honoree, on the need for greater representation
“How many female astronauts are training right now to be the first of the Mars Generation? How many of them look like me? ...Not enough! And that lack of representation disappoints me, because it makes it harder for girls like me to find role models for our chosen path. Lucky for me, one of the first African-American women to travel into space wrote about her plight. Reading about her journey started me on my mission to help promote, inspire, engage and empower other girls to dream STEM big. That woman is Dr. Mae Jemison, [who is] now in her 60s. We need more female astronauts and women in aerospace/engineering because women are problem solvers, and the more of us in the pipeline the better, for future space exploration. …[And] we need women in STEM [who] come from all backgrounds, capabilities, and social circumstances to contribute and participate in addressing the world’s toughest challenges. ...STEM is a field based in creativity and innovation. In order for innovation to happen, we need to have different ideas and different ways of looking at what currently is and what could be. The world just needs to understand that women are a vital part of providing these viewpoints in STEM.”
Courtesy of Lyndsey Scott9/12Lyndsey Scott, Lead iOS Developer for Rallybound, model, actress, app developer, on how to overcome challenges facing women in STEM
“I’ve met many women in STEM who feel as if their colleagues don’t immediately take them as seriously as those [who] fit the STEM stereotypes. And since women of color in STEM are especially rare, they can often feel even more out of place. I think we can overcome this by becoming more visible. Until the day there are enough women in STEM careers that our presence is expected, I think speaking up and letting our voices be heard is the best way for us to stay visible.”
Nicholas Santasier/Courtes of Maryam Zaringhalam10/12Maryam Zaringhalam, molecular biologist, science writer, and leadership board member of 500 Women Scientists, on the impact of including women in STEM
“I so often hear that girls just aren’t interested in science or that women just aren’t cut out to make it in science.These myths could not be farther from the truth. Instead, today’s STEM institutions were never built for women, people of color, people with disabilities, members of the LGBTQ+ community, and other marginalized groups to succeed. ...We’ve already seen the negative effects of excluding underrepresented groups in STEM fields, [like] algorithms that [allegedly] discriminate against people of color [and] drugs that have been inappropriately dosed for women’s bodies. ...STEM cannot serve us all if it fails to represent and include people from a diverse range of backgrounds and experiences. Whether we’re thinking about the challenges we tackle or the lens through which we interpret results, our lived experiences inspire and inform the work we do. Bringing diverse perspectives to the table can help correct the biases scientists unconsciously bring to our work, channel our curiosity for the public good, and ensure our innovations are built with everyone in mind.”
DANIELLE LEONG/Courtesy of Kaya Thomas11/12Kaya Thomas, iOS engineer and creator of We Read Too, on the power of STEM exposure and education
“I had the original idea for something like We Read Too, [an app directory of children’s and young adult books written by and featuring people of color], back when I was in high school, but I had no idea about the tech industry or what skills would be necessary to create it. It wasn’t until I took my first computer science course and then had my first mobile development internship that I knew that I had skills that could bring such a resource to life. I felt so empowered once I learned how to program; I felt armored with skills I knew I could use to create tools to help people.
[While working in tech], one of the biggest challenges I’ve faced is being underestimated. A lot of women in the tech industry are under-leveled and underpaid. I’ve experienced folks making assumptions about me that I have less knowledge even though I have the degree and industry experience. That has led to me feeling like I always need to prove myself, otherwise folks will think I’m not worthy of my position or accolades. ...There are a lot of amazing organizations that are focused on getting young girls into STEM, which means hopefully there will be a lot of young women studying STEM fields and entering into STEM industries in the coming years. Unfortunately, if we don’t fix the issues within the industry, they’ll enter into a work environment that underpays and under-levels them. The industry needs more underrepresented folks in leadership positions and needs to heavily focus on retention and promoting underrepresented folks who are entering into the workforce.”
Courtesy of Anne-Marie Imafidon12/12Anne-Marie Imafidon, Co-Founder and CEO of STEMettes, on the inspiring nature of young girls in STEM
“Working with these girls and hearing their ideas, aspirations, and concerns gives me hope. The way they look at life and perceive the problems around them, but also express creativity using STEM tools is inspiring. The ideas that they are coming up with, coupled with the skills, knowledge and the specialisms they have means that I believe we are in good hands in the future. They take themselves seriously, and eventually, we are going to too.”
