The Well-Traveled Ladies of If/Then
The Well-Traveled Ladies of If/Then
Every morning on my walk to the office, I have the unique privilege of being greeted by a triage of powerhouse women lining either side of the entryway. Their greetings, I should note, are purely implied – as these particular women are 3-D printed and cast in orange spray paint.
This is #IfThenSheCan – The Exhibit, a first-of-its-kind installation made possible by Lyda Hill Philanthropies, the Dallas-based force behind bold investments in life sciences, community-building, and nonprofit innovation across DFW and the nation.
A celebration of women in STEM, the If/Then initiative’s aim is as simple as it is powerful: If a young girl sees women thriving in STEM – confidently taking up space, and solving big problems – she’s more likely to believe there’s a place for her in that world too.
One of the brains behind the initiative is none other than my sister, Lili Clark. “At LHP, we believe that STEM is the future. With that in mind, it’s important that when every kid envisions what a scientist looks like, they see themselves represented.”
The fact of the matter is, women make up half of the college-educated workforce, yet only 27% percent of the STEM industry (US Census Bureau, 2021). Why should we care? Let’s take a look at the facts:
More Women in STEM = Better ideas, point, blank, period: Gender-diverse teams are more innovative and make better business decisions 87% of the time (Harvard Business Review, 2017)
* More $$, More ROI: McKinsey’s Diversity Wins Report (2020) found that companies in the top quartile for gender diversity on executive teams were 25% more likely to have above-average profitability. What’s more, fields like biomedical engineering, environmental science, and data science — where more women are entering — are among the fastest-growing and most in-demand (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).
* Greater Impact: Gender-diverse teams are more likely to develop innovations that address a broader range of user needs (Harvard Business Review, 2021). Provided that STEM is at the heart of every global major issue – climate change, global pandemics, AI, cybersecurity, you name it – addressing our most pressing problems requires every mind!
* They are more than capable! More often than not, girls are outperforming boys in math and science through middle school (you better believe it!) but become increasingly disengaged in high school when stereotypes take hold (NAEP, UNESCO). The solution? ROLE MODELS! Girls with a female STEM role model are 3x more likely to pursue a STEM career (Microsoft + KRC Research).
I can’t quite describe how refreshing it feels to be surrounded by a sea of female statues. Before this exhibit launched in 2020, that experience simply didn’t exist. Former U.S. Treasurer Rosie Rios found that the ten largest U.S. cities publicly displayed fewer than six statues of real women – the team at Lyda Hill decided it was about time we change that stat.
It warms my heart to know that thousands of girls around the world now get to revel in that same feeling. When the exhibit debuted at the Smithsonian, Lili watched as dozens of girls took photos beside the statues — only to be surprised when the real women stepped out from behind them. “It’s exciting to know that girls can walk around and see that opportunities in STEM are exciting and within reach,” she said.
Since its debut, more than five million people nationwide have experienced the exhibit as it’s traveled from the National Air and Space Museum to Northpark to the Central Park Zoo. Suffice it to say, the If/Then ladies have become quite the well-traveled crew!
Since learning a bit more about these trailblazing women, my commute from the parking lot to my office has become a coveted one. The work of each woman is made accessible through a QR code next to her statue, and it’s become my favorite daily ritual to scan and learn more. I couldn’t possibly pick a favorite, so instead, I leave you with a tidbit from today’s encounter, Neonatologist and UT Southwestern Professor, Julie Mirpuri:
“I love what I do and feel so fortunate to be able to be a physician-scientist. For me personally, this exhibit is epic in the magnitude of the message it sends to all young girls out there – that they can be anything they want. As a young girl, I was told many times by many different people that I shouldn’t try and become a doctor. My hope is that no other girl out there will ever be told they can’t be a scientist, engineer, astronaut, etc. They can! This exhibit demonstrates beautifully that they can be whatever they want!”
Signing off,
Charlotte
Sources:
https://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/biomedical-engineers.htm?utm_source=chatgpt.com
https://empowerment2026.org/national-historic-american-women-statue-initiative/
https://www.utsouthwestern.edu/ctplus/stories/2021/ifthen-statues.html