Marvel Wants to Help Bring More Girls to STEM!

Marvel has joined forces with the National Academy of Sciences’ Science & Entertainment Exchange to help get more girls into STEM.

STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) fields skew very heavily male, but Marvel hopes to help change that with the “Girls Reforming the Future Challenge”. Released in conjunction with the May 6th opening of Captain America: Civil War, the program encourages high school girls aged 15-18 (grades 10-12) to submit videos that demonstrate ideas that they believe can change the world.

The idea is to showcase goals that align with those of the Avengers, namely “the commitment to safeguard humanity, protect the earth at all costs and make the world a better place for future generations”, according to Elizabeth Olsen (Scarlet Witch). She and Captain America: Civil War co-star Emily VanCamp (Sharon Carter) introduce the project in a video from USA Today. It is, according to VanCamp, “an amazing opportunity for girls just like you to explore your inner potential to reform the future with positive world change through STEM”.

Five finalists will be chosen to attend the April 12th Captain America: Civil War premiere at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles. They will also participate in a webinar to discuss their project, be invited to tour the Walt Disney Studios and Dolby Laboratories, and receive a $500 savings account from Synchrony Bank.

One lucky girl will win the ultimate prize: an internship with Marvel.

Says Olsen, “I’m really excited to meet these exceptional young women who have STEM backgrounds and who maybe also want to be part of more of a creative- and science-based world. And Marvel’s a perfect place for that.”

Interested applicants have until March 26th to submit their videos. For more information, check out the official site.

I’m very excited about all of these initiatives that major studios like Marvel are launching in order to help even out the playing field for women in traditionally male-dominated industries. I look forward to seeing what comes out of this project. Hopefully, Marvel will share the submissions on the website so that everyone can see what these girls come up with!

Author: Jamie Sugah

Jamie has a BA in English with a focus in creative writing from The Ohio State University. She self-published her first novel, The Perils of Long Hair on a Windy Day, which is available through Amazon. She is currently an archivist and lives in New York City with her demon ninja vampire cat. She covers television, books, movies, anime, and conventions in the NYC area.

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