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If/Then Gender Equity Project

“Science centers and museums have the ability to make a sizable impact on how gender is represented in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. Each year an estimated 120 million people visit informal science education institutions, and it is important for museum visitors, especially young people, to see diversity in who can contribute to and participate in STEM. STEM professions - traditionally dominated by men - are often associated with persistent stereotypes such as the ideas that men are better suited to scientific careers or that boys are better than girls at math and science. These stereotypes have the power to negatively affect girls and women by pushing them away from these professions. The conscious action of including an equitable and diverse representation of gender within museum content is one approach to challenging stereotypes and encouraging public conversation around gender.

 

The Association of Science and Technology Centers (ASTC) has partnered with the IF/THEN® Initiative to galvanize the efforts of science centers and museums to increase the number of women STEM professionals depicted within their institutions’ exhibit and educational content.”