The state of Paraíba is located in the Northeast of Brazil, a region where investments in science and technology are scarce, and the infrastructure in education is somehow precarious. Among the five regions of the country, the Northeast has the lowest Human Development Index (HDI): 0.608. Thus, regional inequalities regarding development are enormous. These inequalities, however, are even more significant when considering gender.
In a predominantly male universe, female undergraduate students at the , a member institution of the United Nations Academic Impact (UNAI) initiative in Brazil, decided to form the “Girls in Computer Science” group, uniting around two areas of action that actively promote the insertion of women in science and technology, aiming at reducing gender inequalities while generating decent jobs, and fighting poverty.
The first axe is focused on disseminating information about courses and careers in Information Technology to female high school students in the state. The second one is about creating a support center where female students can help each other and thus not give up on their degrees, reducing dropout. This takes great relevance when numbers show that women in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) account for less than a quarter of students.
Undergraduate students are the agents of transformation that inspire and empower high school girls. At UFPB, women represent only 14% of the students at the Computer Science Center, but “Girls in Computer Science” want to change this. They directly engage female students aged 14 to 17 in public high schools, closely mentoring them, and teaching them through dedicated practical workshops on how to deal with technology.
The workshops involve coding, application development, and the creation of games for mobile devices. Each workshop lasts two hours and results in a product, either a game or an application, to raise their sense of self-efficacy, showing in practice that they can deal with technology. Moreover, a school van is used when needed, connecting female students from schools without computing infrastructure or technology.
The latter implies the simultaneous use of university resources and the dedication of undergraduate students. The school van was wholly adapted to become a mobile classroom, containing tables, notebooks, and a video monitor to present the content. Students talk about their choices and trajectories, experiences and difficulties, career opportunities, and the challenges of being a woman in a predominantly male area.
The actions of this group, partially funded by the Brazilian Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation, have taken place in 11 cities and 16 schools, targeting over 700 girls. Once the girls feel motivated to learn about technology, the undergraduate students hold weekly remote workshops, teaching them step-by-step about the world of technology and promoting knowledge in a more practical way.
The students’ training uses free software, and competitions are held on the content taught at each stage. Motivational strategies include visits to the university’s labs, demonstrations of drones, robotics, and technological artifacts that broaden their view. At the end of each module, competitions are held. The activities are planned to consider the girls’ age group, and playful activities are prioritized.
The second axis of action promotes the integration of female graduate students and reduces dropouts. Since March 2022, this has been developed through interaction among female students using various methods. One of them was the creation of a Lab where they could stay, get to know each other better, and support each other. It has become a space for socializing that facilitates community life among female students.
Some female students argue, for instance, that the biggest barriers they face are shyness in front of a large number of male students, which prevents them from clarifying doubts with the professors. This second axis of action looks to address this kind of challenge. Last year the group conducted and participated in several events, including technology fairs and exhibitions, hackathons, and employability events for women.
“The students that are part of ‘Girls in Computer Science’ often come from public schools and have gone through many difficulties to get into a university. They are the role models that inspire and motivate the high school girls to follow the same journey,” commented Dr. Josilene Aires, Associate Professor and researcher at UFPB, where she coordinates various projects related to gender and technology, including female insertion in STEM fields.
“The group is working on expanding its partnerships and achieving greater inclusion of girls’ students from municipalities farther away from the capital, where conditions are more difficult. However, the real effectiveness of this project will come when the economic empowerment of these women is achieved, and they reach profitable professions that connect with decent jobs, more gender equity in the workplace, and a better social position,” she added.
