Almost 700 attendees flocked to Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta’s 11th annual (GSGATL) STEM (science, technology, Engineering, and Math) Expo held recently at Atlanta Motor Speedway, where the theme of the day was the science of motion.

The Girl Scout STEM Expo is the largest girl-focused K-12 STEM event in the Atlanta region and is designed to get girls excited about science and introduce them to skills and concepts that could influence career interests. At the event, girls could choose from more than two dozen hands-on fun and educational activities using skills like coding, programming, and engineering. They could build solar cars, code a maze-following electronic mouse, or practice basic car care.
First responders from Henry County brought girls aboard emergency response vehicles, engaging them in the role of technology in crime prevention and safety response careers.

Why a girl-focused STEM event? Georgia STEM careers are expected to grow 13% in the next few years, but women and other minorities are greatly underrepresented in physical sciences, computer science, and engineering. According to PEW research: while women earned 85% of bachelor’s degrees in health-related fields, they earned just 22% in engineering and 19% in computer science as of 2018.

“Events like STEM Expo introduce girls to career possibilities and dare them to dream,” said Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta spokesperson, Leslie Gilliam. “Science is fun, it’s exciting and it’s the future.”

GSGATL expects to change those statistics through events like the STEM Expo and a host of STEM badges including automotive engineering, robotics, and cybersecurity.

City of Hampton Mayor Ann Tarpley and Henry County Board of Commissioners Chair, Carlotta Harrell were in attendance while staff, crew, and drivers from NASCAR provided video welcomes and encouraged girls to consider the racing industry for possible career choices.

New to STEM Expo ‘22 was the first Girl Scout Science Fair. Girl-led projects included the science of tires, robotics, and calculating the supplies needed by an average girl hiking the Appalachian Trail.

Community partners include the CDC Museum, Girls Who Code, Women in Engineering, Trees Atlanta, Zoo Atlanta and more.