Monday, May 23, 2011

Tonight's show: Women in Science

Why are there so few women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics careers? While women account for more than half of university graduates in Canada, they receive only 30% of the degrees granted in science and engineering fields. In elementary, middle and high school, girls and boys take science and math classes in roughly equal numbers and the girls typically have better grades. Yet few women go on to pursue these careers.Tonight we're discussing some of the reasons why women don't choose these careers and the barriers they face in both education and the workforce.

We'll also discuss a couple of awesome female scientists from the history books:
  • Elsie MacGill - a Canadian and the world's first female aircraft designer
  • Marie Curie - a Polish/French physicist and chemist, famous for her research on radioactivity
Elsie MacGill - not only was she the first woman in the world
to be awarded a masters degree in aeronautical engineering,
she was also a women's rights activist! This is one kick-ass lady!

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