Page 36 - Kaleidoscope Academic Conference Proceedings 2024

Hedy Lamarr Chair designs activities related to technology The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)
in the girls’ areas of interest supported both financially and runs initiatives like Women in Engineering (WIE), which
with personnel by the participating companies and UMA. provides mentorship and workshops to inspire girls to pursue
Naming the Chair after Hedy Lamarr is a fitting tribute for STEM careers. The WIE Student-Teacher and Research
several reasons. Lamarr, an Austrian-American actress and Engineer/Scientist (STAR) Program [7] focuses on mentoring
inventor, symbolizes innovation and perseverance. Most young girls in pre-university education, encouraging them to
famous for her Hollywood career, she also co-invented pursue STEM careers through mentorship, workshops, and
frequency-hopping spread spectrum technology, which aligns hands-on activities.
with the Chair’s focus on attracting girls to tech fields and Girls in ICT Day, organized by the International
highlights the impact women can have in these industries. Telecommunication Union (ITU) [8], promotes careers in
In this work, we describe the context, rationale, and activities ICT through workshops and mentoring. EQUALS, a
undertaken by the Lamarr Chair, along with the main results global partnership co-founded by ITU, aims to close the
achieved. A key activity is the “Lamarr Chair Challenge and digital gender gap by improving women access to digital
Hilda Ericsson Competition”, which is described in-depth. technologies and promoting their leadership in tech.
The rest of this paper is organized as follows. This While these examples highlight some of the prominent efforts,
introduction is completed by a description of various it’s important to note that there are hundreds of similar
programs aimed at attracting girls to engineering and initiatives globally, each contributing in various ways to
technology fields. Section 2 provides the context for the empowering women and closing the digital divide.
creation of the Hedy Lamarr Chair. Section 3 offers an
2. CONTEXT
overview of the Chair’s activities, while Section 4 describes
a key activity: the challenge conducted over several months
The vibrant Malaga technology sector is rapidly emerging
in UMA labs. The paper brings to a close with a conclusion
as a hub of innovation and growth, attracting top talent and
section.
leading companies from around the globe. Between 2,500
and 3,000 workers per year are needed by companies located
1.1 Selected programs for attracting women to
in Malaga to cover their needs [9] after the exponential growth
technology
in recent decades.
Although women have experienced a more pronounced and
Numerous high-profile projects and initiatives have been
constant increase in the hiring rate in the ICT sector than in all
launched aiming to close the gender gap in science
sectors as a whole (43.58% in Andalucia), only the 25,66% of
and technology by empowering and educating girls and
the contracts registered in the Andalusian ICT sector during
women. This section focuses on showcasing notable global
2023 were made to women [2]. In fact, Spain follows the
undergraduate programs and their key features, rather than
same trend than the rest of Europe and the number of women
providing a comprehensive overview. It is important to
in ICT has not improved in the last 10 years [10]. That
note that programs or activities specifically aimed at the
means that even with the efforts made over the last decade to
career development of STEM students are excluded, as
encourage girls and women to pursue technology careers, the
are the numerous initiatives conducted by associations and
percentage of female tech workers in the world has actually
universities at the local level.
decreased from 35% in 1984 to 32% in 2020 [11]. This gender
SciGirls [3] is a pioneering program designed to engage
disparity is particularly evident in the telecommunications
middle school girls in STEM through hands-on activities
sector: only about 12% of the engineering workforce in
and real-world experiences. Launched at the US by PBS
telecommunications are women [12].
and the National Science Foundation, SciGirls features a
One main reason for this imbalance reported by industry is
mix of interactive television episodes, online content, and
the lack of women formed in technology. In a context in
community outreach initiatives that focus on developing
which the percentage of the European population studying in
critical thinking and problem-solving skills. SciGirls’
ICT-related fields has been declining for the past decade [2],
curriculum emphasizes collaborative learning and showcases
the gap between men and women in these fields has increased.
female role models in STEM fields to inspire participants
Motivating women in ICT education can contribute to a more
and demonstrate the diverse opportunities available in these
direct and efficient labor insertion, fostering technological
disciplines.
innovation. It is therefore crucial to develop programs that
Technovation [5] empowers girls aged 10-18 to become tech
prepare students for technological challenges and, at the same
leaders by guiding them through developing mobile apps
time, promote a more inclusive and equitable sector.
to address community problems. The program includes
mentorship and culminates in a global competition.
2.1 Vocations
Girls Who Code [6] also aims to close the gender gap in
technology by teaching coding to girls from middle school In the Spanish education system, ICT-related subjects are
to college. The organization offers summer immersion progressively introduced across various educational stages.
programs, after-school clubs, and college loops, providing After Infant Education, in Primary Education (ages 6-12)
a supportive community and networking opportunities to digital literacy focuses on basic computer skills, Internet use,
inspire young women to pursue tech careers. and safe online practices. During Secondary Education (ages
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