Page 35 - Kaleidoscope Academic Conference Proceedings 2024

ATTRACTING GIRLS TO TECHNOLOGY THROUGH PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP:
THE HEDY LAMARR CHAIR AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MALAGA

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Mari-Carmen Aguayo-Torres ; Laura Olea ; Raquel Berlanga ; Rafael Godoy 1
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Universidad de Málaga
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Ericsson

ABSTRACT city in Southern Europe, Malaga has more than doubled the
number of workers in innovative economic sectors. In 2013,
Over the past decade, the city of Malaga (Spain) has doubled there were 8,600 people employed in technology positions in
its technology sector, yet it still faces a shortage of skilled the city; today, that number has already reached 20,000 [1].
talent. Additionally, women in tech roles in Spain represent
Within the information and communication technology (ICT)
less than 20%. The low number of engineering female
field, the participation of women in Spain continues to be
students at the University of Malaga (UMA) hampers efforts
below 20% [2]. Moreover, they often find themselves in junior
to increase women representation in the local tech industry.
or support roles, with little opportunity for advancement.
The Hedy Lamarr Chair for Women and Technology at
They are also less likely to hold an executive position, become
UMA, a public-private partnership, encourages girls to
ICT entrepreneurs, and rarely attain the highest levels in
pursue engineering degrees. This initiative designs activities
policy-making or standardization bodies. The reasons behind
to engage girls with technology, supported financially and
the low number of female students in engineering are not fully
through their involvement by participating companies. The
understood, but a series of activities and best practices have
project also provides role models, reveal potential, and offer
been identified that are known to enhance the attraction of
teacher training. In 2023, more than 3,000 students aged 3
technology fields for girls [3].
to 18 benefited from these efforts in Malaga.
The underrepresentation of women in STEM is not just a
A key activity is the “Lamarr Chair Challenge and Hilda
matter of social equity; it is a significant barrier to the
Ericsson Competition”, a hands-on activity which integrates
potential growth and innovation within the field. Research has
into the secondary school curriculum. The third edition,
consistently shown that diverse teams, which include a mix
carried out in 2024, focused on artificial intelligence (AI) for
of genders, backgrounds, and perspectives, are more creative
sustainability. Workshops enabled girls (around 15 years
and effective at problem-solving [4]. Groups with at least one
old) to develop AI projects addressing issues like water
female member outperformed all-male groups in collective
conservation and marine cleanup.
intelligence tests. Innovation is richer and more productive:
patents produced by mixed-gender teams were cited 30 to 40
Keywords - Women in Technology, Engineering Education,
percent more frequently than the average citation rate.
STEM Outreach
In a rapidly evolving field like telecommunications, where
technological changes and complex challenges are constant,
1. INTRODUCTION
it is crucial to bring diversity to teams to generate a broader
The engineering profession has long been recognized as range of ideas and approaches. Technology companies
a driving force behind technological advancement and established in the Malaga area are facing challenges due to the
economic prosperity. With the growing demand for skilled scarcity of women in their teams, which impacts diversity and
engineers to support advancements in technology, it is innovation potential. The low enrollment of female students
imperative to draw from the widest possible talent pool to in engineering at the University of Malaga (UMA) hampers
meet industry needs. efforts to increase women representation in the workforce at
Despite the critical importance of this field, with a high the area of influence.
transformative power on human behavior and the organization Under these circumstances, UMA established the Hedy
of society, women are notably underrepresented in Science, Lamarr Chair for Women and Technology in 2021, in
Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) areas. collaboration with Accenture, Avanade, DEKRA, Ericsson,
This trend is pervasive across Europe, and the city of Malaga Google, Keysight, and MetroMalaga. The partnership
(Spain) is no exception. expanded in 2023 to include AirZone, TDK, and Premo, and
The city of Malaga is settled in Andalucia, the most populated further extended to NTT Data in 2024. Chairs are conceived
region in Spain. Although most commonly known as a resort as strategic and stable unions between the University and
companies and institutions, whereby both parties benefit from
∗ Presentation of this work has been partially funded by Project
TSI-063000-2021-48 PROMOCIONA financed by MTDFP / within the results of research, development and innovation.
the UNICO I+D program and by the European Union Next The mission of the Hedy Lamarr Chair is to encourage girls
GenerationEU/ PRTR. to pursue engineering degrees. To attract female students, the

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