article also available in DE , FR , IT , PT , SL : To be a role model, one would have to have some public recognition and public visibility. So maybe the real question is not the one in the title of this article but this: why are more women from STEM not publicly recognised? Were women, historically, not part of the STEM field? Sure, we all know Marie Curie, two-time Nobel Prize winner, once for her work in physics and once for her work in the field of chemistry, and maybe we can count one or two more, but is that all? And if the answer is no, where are all these other women hiding? If one takes time to dig deep, one can find that history is full of strong, intelligent, amazing, brilliant, brave women who made groundbreaking discoveries, invented amazing things, or launched new theories that changed the field in which they were working or even had a broader impact. Society benefitted greatly from women's contributions; from the invention of windscreen wipers (Mary Anderson) to the discovery of DNA (Rosalinda Franklin), to name just two of many. But still, they are invisible to most of the public. When searching for reasons why things are the way they are, patriarchy is the obvious starting point. The status of women in STEM is similar to their status in general. And in general, our society has been male-dominated. For a long time, the science world was that of white middle-class men, who were seen as the norm, with women as the other, something that was different from the norm. Here lie the roots of inequality and unequal opportunities that women had to face (and are still, sometimes facing) in all areas, including in the STEM field. Firstly, the basic precondition for scientific work had been denied to them as they were not allowed to study at universities for centuries. They were excluded from obtaining academic degrees or being a part of trade associations. Even after the doors to the universities finally opened to them, they had problems with finding employment in their field, with career advancement, important, decision-making positions were difficult, if not impossible, for them to obtain, and research money was harder for them to raise if that was even an option. In addition to the systemic barriers, they were constantly faced with overt biases, from sexism to misogyny (women are meant to take care of the home and family, are less intelligent than men, are not able to think logically, are not interested in STEM disciplines, to name a few) as well as unconscious biases like usage of only male pronouns in different official documentation. Even when women managed to overcome all of the above-stated barriers - with great commitment and dedication - and achieved success in their field, their achievements were downgraded and less rewarded than those of their male colleagues. If we take a look at the most famous award: from 1901 to 2022, only 6% of Nobel Prize winners were women (Novak, 2023). This low percentage might indicate that women were not active in the fields that were being awarded. But that, of course, is not true. Their achievements were just not awarded or recognised. Let us now look at a specific phenomenon known as the Matilda effect . This is the expression coined in 1993 by Margaret W. Rossiter, that describes: »the phenomenon where an innovation or scientific discovery made by a woman is attributed to her male counterpart« (Mihajlović Trbovc, 2023, p. 15). History is full of Matilda's effects and the STEM field is no exception. Let us take a closer look at three examples: Joycelyn Bell Burnell discovered the first radio pulsars (supernova remnants) but because she was a postgraduate student at the time of discovery, her mentor, Antony Hewish, was awarded a Nobel Prize for physics in 1974 for the discovery that she made. Lise Meiter is another woman from the STEM field who devoted her life to science but never gained the recognition she deserved: together with her colleague Otto Hahn, she contributed key findings to the mystery of nuclear fission but in 1944, only Otto won the Nobel Prize for physics although Lisa was the one who provided the theory behind the experiments. Esther Lederberg was another scientist whose achievements were overshadowed by men, in her case by her husband. Although they worked together in the laboratory and shared their work with research and study of bacteria, only her husband was awarded with Nobel Prize in physiology and medicine in 1958. (Senica, 2021) To answer the question from the title: the reason behind the lack of women role models in STEM does not lie in the assumption that women have not contributed important discoveries in the STEM field but that their contributions were more often than not taken away from them, undervalued, or overlooked. We, as a society, have not given them the recognition they deserve. It is time to change that; to acknowledge their contributions and to learn about all the struggles they had to face on their way – to give them the recognition they deserve. With biographical fairytale-like stories, the STEAM Tales project is trying to do exactly that: we are putting the amazing yet underrepresented women from the STEM field as role models for young girls (and boys) to look upon.

article also available in DE , FR , IT , PT , SL : STEAM identity refers to how individuals perceive themselves within the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, and how this identity is shaped by social interactions, group memberships, and societal norms (2021; Prost et al., 2022). It involves, thus, their attitudes towards STEAM subjects, and their identification with the STEAM community, overcoming barriers such as stereotype threat that arise from the internalisation of stereotypes. Cohen (2021) and UNESCO (2017) state that girls’ beliefs in their STEAM-related abilities such as critical thinking, creativity, collaboration and communication, begin to diminish from ages six to eight during the first years of education; assert that early exposure to STEAM subjects is crucial for building the foundation of girls' skills and interests. The development of a STEAM identity is influenced by the presentation of encouraging role models and positive experiences. In light of the factors above, it is pertinent to implement initiatives that present role models at an early developmental stage and implement a STEAM education in primary school, which serves as a pivotal activity to facilitate the development of a positive STEAM identity in girls at the earliest possible age (Cohen et al., 2021). Storytelling has been implemented with the objective of entertaining children, and it is linked to cognitive and affective-motivational factors. The act of listening to stories can foster improved motivation and emotional engagement in children. Furthermore, exposure to STEAM stories enables children to recognise the pertinence of STEAM, thereby increasing their overall engagement and interest in STEAM subjects (Barchas-Lichtenstein et al., 2023). Additionally, it enables children to gain a more nuanced understanding of a subject through exposure to different perspectives (Paiva et al., 2019). Storytelling favours a narrative mode of making sense of the world, a mode that is context-dependent and relies on situation-based evidence. For Engel et al. (2018), the narrative mode of thinking represents the default mode of human thought, providing structure to reality and serving as the underlying foundation for memory. Frequently, some categories of storytelling are employed and researched to narrate stories for children in primary education: historical stories: stories such as biographical narratives of scientists and their work to stimulate children's motivation and engagement in science communication activities; imaginary stories: stories that illustrate the sequence of events to address scientific concepts to promote children's understanding directly; personification stories: stories that use certain story elements to describe scientific concepts by assigning personal characteristics to the complex concepts of a scientific field (Hu et al., 2021). A narrative strategy composing historical stories with the presentation of biographical narratives of scientists and their work to stimulate children's motivation and engagement in science communication activities (Hu et al., 2021). Stories about science, scientists and discoveries can have important positive affective impacts (Gouvêa et al., 2019).

article also available in DE , FR , IT , PT , SL : The importance of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) is increasing significantly in the 21st century. STEM fields not only serve as pivotal drivers of innovation and progress, but they also harbour the viable solutions to contemporary societal challenges. Nevertheless, the STEM's potential is constrained by overlooking the invaluable contributions of women. The underrepresentation of females in STEM deprives the field of diverse perspectives and, on the other hand, girls and women of equal opportunities and meaningful stimulating careers. Statistical data from various European countries show the gender disparities in specific disciplines such as physics, mathematics, statistics, ICT, technology, and engineering, confirming a significant underrepresentation of women in STEM (European Institute of Gender Equality 2018). This trend has persisted over time, and its explanation is inherently complex due to numerous variables and individual traits. Yet, a significant portion of the gender gap can be attributed to barriers rooted in the persistent stereotypical attitudes and behaviours linked to perceived gender-based differences in abilities and performance, as gender roles, patterns, and stereotypes embedded in society influence the educational trajectories and career decisions (Farias 2021). In today's European Union, discrimination based on gender or any other ground—such as, race, ethnic or social origin, religion, disability, age, or sexual orientation is strictly prohibited. In spite of the absence of intentional external barriers excluding girls and women from STEM education or employment (leaving aside structural problems such as accessibility of child daycare), the issue persists and women may still face a significant “internal” barrier known as stereotype threat. This psychological phenomenon poses an obstacle, discouraging girls and women from pursuing STEM fields despite their abilities or interests (Spencer et al. 2016). Understanding and addressing these mechanisms are imperative for fostering greater gender diversity and inclusivity in STEM fields. Stereotype threat describes the situation in which there is a negative stereotype about a persons’ group, and she or he is concerned about being judged or treated negatively on the basis of this stereotype (Spencer et al. 2016). Stereotype threat, as originally theorized by Claude Steele and colleagues (Steele & Aronson 1995), stems from situational cues that suggest individuals may be judged based on negative stereotypes about their social identities. These cues can be triggered by various factors such as gender-stereotypic advertisements, numerical imbalances in a setting, or prejudiced behavior from high-status group members. Specifically, within the context of STEM, which has traditionally been associated as a masculine domain (Borsotti, 2018), girls and women face extra pressure than their male counterparts —pressure to avoid confirming the stereotype alleging their group’s intellectual inferiority. Studies have shown that this extra pressure can undermine the performance and reduce working memory capacity, which is needed to solve difficult questions, making it more difficult for the stereotyped group to succeed. In fact, stereotype threat can explain much of the underperformance phenomenon—such as underperformance of women mathematics and the gender gap in science (Steele et al. 2002a, Walton & Spencer 2009 in Spencer et al. 2016). On the other hand, Walton & Spencer (2009 in Spencer et al. 2016) demonstrated a phenomenon called latent ability effect, where members of negatively stereotyped groups actually outperform nonstereotyped groups when stereotype threat is reduced. This suggests that in environments free from stereotype threat, individuals from stereotyped groups can excel even beyond their initial performance levels. Besides its effect on performance, there are further consequences of stereotype threat: It fosters negative emotions in the stereotyped domain: when people complete a high-threat test, they report decreased task interest (Smith et al. 2007 in Spencer et al. 2016). It diminishes perceptions of own abilities in the stereotyped domain: elementary school girls reported decreased math self-confidence under conditions of high threat (Muzzatti & Agnoli 2007 in Spencer et al. 2016). Young adults, women under stereotype threat make more internal attributions for failure on a computer task than do men (Koch et al. 2008 in Spencer 2016). The decreased enjoyment and diminished self-confidence may explain why women experiencing stereotype threat report less interest in math and science fields and weaker leadership aspirations (Davies et al. 2002, 2005 in Spencer et al. 2016) Ultimately, stereotype threat and its effect can result in withdrawal of the stereotyped group from the negatively stereotyped domain – such as girls and women from STEM education, research and careers. Spencer et al. 2016 proposed three evidence-based social psychological strategies to reduce the pernicious effects of stereotype threat that can lead to improved performance by members of stereotyped groups: Reconstrual interventions aim to diminish the negative effects of stereotype threat by altering participants' perception of the level of threat. For example, by reconstruing tests or adapting the description of a test to emphasize it as nondiagnostic can lead to improved performance. Coping interventions include providing individuals with techniques to suppress anxious thoughts or practice susceptible test problems to retrieve them from long-term memory. Educating individuals about stereotype threat, reassuring them of its illegitimacy, and guiding them to attribute anxiety to stereotypes can also improve performance. Additionally, mindfulness training, which alleviates working memory load, has shown promise in eliminating stereotype-threat effects. Creating identity-safe environments to reassure individuals that their stigmatized social identities are not a barrier to success. This can be achieved by facilitating positive contact with majority group members, providing role models of successful group members, or having group members administer tests. These approaches if adopted by teachers and educators, combined with heightened awareness of the stereotype threat faced by females in STEM fields, could contribute to the creation of more inclusive environments in education, thereby advancing equal opportunities. As a result, individuals would feel valued and supported irrespective of their social identities, likely leading to increased participation of girls and women in STEM fields. This enhanced involvement of women in STEM would not only benefit the fields themselves but also society at large. References : Benish, S. (2018). Meeting STEM workforce demands by diversifying STEM. Journal of Science Policy & Governance, 13(1). Borsotti, V. (2018). Barriers to gender diversity in software development education: actionable insights from a danish case study. In Proceedings of the 40th International Conference on Software Engineering: Software Engineering Education and Training (pp. 146-152). European Institute of Gender Equality, 2018. Overview | Gender Statistics Database. EIGE. Farias, S. S. (2021). O PISA 2018 e a educação STEM das raparigas. Instituto de Sociologia da Universidade do Porto. http://www.barometro.com.pt/2021/08/02/o-pisa-2018-e-a-educacao-stem-das-raparigas/ Spencer, S. J. et al. (2016). Stereotype threat. Annual Review of Psychology, 67(1), 415–437. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-psych-073115-103235 Steele, C. M., & Aronson, J. (1995). Stereotype threat and the intellectual test performance of African Americans. Journal of personality and social psychology, 69(5), 797.

article also available in DE , FR , IT , PT , SL : When it comes to teaching and education, particularly in the domains of STEAM, teachers and educators hold an invaluable position because they have the power and ability to equip students with skills that go beyond traditional textbooks. Collaboration, communication, creativity, problem-solving, critical thinking – these are some of the skills that our students will need to tackle real-world challenges (Bertrand & Namukasa, 2020). So their teachers and educators play a crucial role in cultivating these skills by creating vibrant learning environments where these can be nurtured! Another important topic to consider is breaking down stereotypes and barriers, especially for girls. Despite some progress, there's still a gender gap in STEAM education . But with a little encouragement and support from teachers and educators, we can change that narrative. Early exposure to STEAM subjects and inclusive opportunities can ignite passion and confidence in girls, opening a window for a more diverse and innovative future workforce (UNICEF, 2020). And in today's digital age, it’s never been easier to have access to STEAM resources and ideas to implement in class and create interactive environments where students’ curiosity will make them more engaged and participative in class! Whether it's by engaging in interactive games to explore mathematical concepts, conducting virtual science experiments, or exploring the world of coding and robotics activities, nowadays there are many online platforms that offer free resources to enrich STEAM education. Here’s some examples: STEM Learning is dedicated to supporting educators in delivering high-quality STEM education to primary students. They collaborate with the UK Government and educational institutions to ensure that teachers have access to a wealth of activities addressing different STEAM subjects and making lesson planning simple for primary teachers. The resources available in their platform can be downloaded as an activity sheet and contain guidelines on how to bring the activity to life in the classroom, along with clear learning objectives and outcomes. From exploring animals and evolution to diving into rocks and electricity, there's anything for the taste of any emerging student scientist! NASA STEM Engagement is an initiative by NASA to connect educators, students, parents, and caregivers with the captivating world of space exploration and STEM. This platform offers a diverse range of experiences and activities tailored for students from Primary (K4) to Secondary (K12) education, empowering educators to integrate STEAM resources effortlessly. In addition, there are activities tailored for different learning settings - whether in school or afterschool - such as in-field investigations to engaging games, each equipped with comprehensive guidelines and tips for a successful implementation to spark curiosity and facilitate meaningful exploration of the topic chosen! Khan Academy is another key platform when it comes to STEAM education. It hosts a wide array of materials designed to enrich STEAM education and make learning fun and accessible for students everywhere! The resources available in Khan Academy cover all school subjects, including STEAM and even Life Skills! And although they are experts in the creation of short, engaging multimedia resources that bring complex topics to life, they also offer interactive lesson plans, hands-on activities and professional development tools tailored specifically for educators. These materials come in all shapes and forms, from engaging experiments to captivating videos and interactive simulations, and address various learning preferences and levels of expertise. Additionally, it provides access to teaching guides, assessment strategies, and best practices for integrating STEAM concepts into the curriculum effectively. That all the ingredients needed to create dynamic and immersive learning experiences that inspire curiosity, creativity, and innovation among primary students! So, whether it's by immersing into coding or by exploring the wonders of science through virtual labs, online platforms offer endless possibilities! On top of that, they make learning STEAM fun while also keeping teachers and educators up-to-date on the latest trends and teaching methodologies in the education world. By exposing these types of interactive, fun resources and activities to students, educators are not just teaching – they're inspiring the next generation of innovators and problem-solvers. In other words, teachers are like superheroes in STEAM education. They're shaping the future, one lesson at a time, and making a real difference in the lives of our students and our world! References: Bertrand, M.G. & Namukasa, I.K. (2020), STEAM education: student learning and transferable skills , Journal of Research in Innovative Teaching & Learning, Vol. 13 No. 1, pp. 43-56. https://doi.org/10.1108/JRIT-01-2020-0003 UNICEF (2020). Towards an equal future: Reimagining girls’ education through STEM . ISBN: 978-92-806-5178-2. NewYork, 2020. Available at: https://www.unicef.org/media/84046/file/Reimagining-girls-education-through-stem-2020.pdf