The quarterly publication of the International Legal Technology Association
Issue link: https://epubs.iltanet.org/i/480238
WWW.ILTANET.ORG 55 scientists and engineers who are women demonstrate this very clearly." It's possible that our economic problem (a STEM talent shortage) is fueled by a societal problem (discouraging young women from STEM education). ENCOURAGE WOMEN TO CHOOSE STEM The STEM shortage is a societal problem, so we must help fix it. When a young girl shows interest in a STEM discipline, it is our responsibility to build her up, not tear her down. The role of society in encouraging or discouraging young women from pursuing Don't Give Up!" in which she shared the emotions she experienced looking back at pictures from her college graduation: "I looked at the cap and gown... the poised hands holding a piece of paper and a smile that reminded me of the years of prayer, faith, disappointment, tears and tough love that went into that moment. As a girl who had always been interested in the STEM field, I remembered the small sliver of fear that would sometimes threaten to stop me from raising my hand in a hard science class because of the backlash I might receive.... in third grade." As Kiel suggests, the path diverging from STEM often starts early. For Kiel, these experiences, with her parents' support, motivated her to fight harder to achieve her goals. However, many other young girls, influenced by negative experiences that occur early in their education, lose confidence and shy away from STEM pursuits. Culture plays a major role in early career decisions. Like Kiel, many young female students are discouraged from focusing on STEM studies by other students, teachers and sometimes parents. In an article that appeared in Dell's news website, Tech Page One, Meg Urry commented on the shift in STEM interest that occurs in young girls: "I see so many talented young women with strong interest in STEM, including physics (which has one of the lowest percentages of women). I know these fields are attractive to them, until something changes their minds. The problems have to be about culture and environment. The enormous differences between countries in the percentage of About the Author Gaby Isturiz is the co-founder and President of Bellefield Systems, which is devoted to creating mobile solutions for law firms and professional service corporations. Bellefield's flagship product, iTimeKeep, has been recognized as the number one mobile time entry solution for attorneys for two consecutive years. Gaby has over 20 years of experience as a computer engineer in business technology consulting, software development and systems integration. She has devoted the past 15 years to the legal technology vertical. Contact Gaby at gabriela@bellefield.com. their goals should not be overlooked. While there are formal initiatives in place to empower young women and girls to pursue STEM educations and learn high-in-demand skills, such as coding, there's more we can do. We can speak up — encourage young girls to pursue STEM fields. Adopt a no-tolerance policy for negative or discouraging remarks by fellow members of society, which could discourage young women (and men, for that matter) from pursuing their dreams. We need more STEM talent. The future of legal technology depends on it. A STEM Success Story by Kim Mann of Bellefield Systems I'm dyslexic, which means my brain functions a little bit differently than "normal." Throughout my early education, I was penalized for not following standard methods to solve math problems. My ninth grade geometry teacher allowed me to answer questions in a different way, as long as I was logically consistent. He gave me full credit if I could demonstrate a logical progression through the problem. Once I saw the entire path in my head, I understood how to get to the answer in the way we were taught in class. I was finally permitted to think the way I think in a math class. Having found a career in a STEM field, I relish the sweet successes. When you do something and get a positive feeling, you want to pursue it more and more. STEM careers are both fulfilling and rewarding in this way. What is often misunderstood about STEM is that these professionals spend their days finding solutions to the world's largest problems. Much creativity can be incorporated into solving these problems, and you are rewarded for thinking outside the box. If we can better demonstrate what it means to be a programmer, a doctor, a scientist, etc., more girls might see themselves filling these roles. Young girls must understand that the stereotypical computer programmer is a dying concept. You are not stuck in a cube typing all day. I often spend half my day interacting with other people, because dialogue is required to find the right solutions. Together we can inspire young girls to pursue their own success in STEM.