SOURCE: Discovery Education

DESCRIPTION:

Want to change the world? The tech world, that is. Support the skills and interests of middle and high school girls!

STEM professionals are increasingly in high demand and STEM fields offer some of the fastest-growing career opportunities—Information Security Analyst, Digital Network Architect, Data Scientist. However, men continue to hold a disproportionate number of STEM positions: research shows that approximately 60% in the physical sciences, 75% in computer occupations, and 85% in engineering. Corporations like Mastercard are working to change that.

Girls4Tech is Mastercard's signature STEM program for middle and high school girls. Its mission is to inspire and excite girls to pursue STEM, and to find and employ the next generation of tech problem solvers and creative thinkers. Mastercard and Discovery Education recently expanded this initiative by providing educators with no-cost, standards-aligned resources that focus on the exciting fields of Cybersecurity and Artificial Intelligence (AI) with the goal of reaching another 1.6 million girls by 2023.

Educators can integrate these engaging and interactive STEM resources into any lesson plan. A new three-part Video Topic Series brings the content to life, introducing facets of cutting-edge technology and cybersecurity through interviews with leading experts and role models in the field, all of whom were once girls themselves. Research shows that representation and role models play a major factor in growing and sustaining an interest in STEM. Observing these women in high-powered STEM careers lets girls see themselves in such a future.

Topics include:

• Biometrics: How the physical attributes we all possess give us unique access to the digital world around us.
• Cryptology: What it means, how it protects our data and the algorithms behind the code.
• Fraud Detection: How companies analyze data and use patterns to protect critical information.

The series also takes STEM from theory to practice, exploring issues like cybersecurity in everyday life and the ways that artificial intelligence can be used for social good.

Girls4Tech believes that girls' voices are vital to solving the challenges that our society faces. By cultivating confidence, interests and marketable skills, Girls4Tech is providing a springboard toward becoming tomorrow's STEM leaders, guaranteeing a brighter future for everyone!

KEYWORDS: NYSE:DISCA, discovery education