Purpose
The Institute for Women’s Education in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) was inaugurated in April 2022. It was developed from the former Collaborative Organization for Research in Women’s Education of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), which was founded jointly with Nara Women’s University in 2015. Our mission is to further develop the fruits of the institute’s predecessor’s seven years of activities and to encourage female students to pursue their education and careers in STEAM fields. To boost the volume of resources for women in these fields in Japan, we provide opportunities for female students at elementary and middle schools to develop their interest in STEAM while also promoting understanding about pursuing education in these fields among teachers and parents because they have a significant influence on children and students in choosing their future courses. We also provide opportunities for female students to examine their career paths after studying in these areas. We hope that our diverse efforts will promote and support female talents to take active roles in STEAM fields.
We seek to…
1. Expand the possibility of choosing science careers
2. Create appealing math and science educational programs
3. Train women to be leaders in the sciences
4. Promote globalization
Description of Activities
Symposiums and seminars
We host symposiums and seminars in various subjects. Depending on the situation, the program can be held online, hybrid, or face-to-face.
○Rikejo-Future Symposium [Targets: female students of junior and senior high schools, parents, and teachers]
We have provided this program since the foundation of the Collaborative Organization for Research in Women’s Education of STEM in 2015. In this program, female speakers with careers in STEAM fields talk about the circumstances behind their choice of specializations, their school lives, and their current work. The program includes a setting for exchange between the speakers and participants so that the participating female students of junior and senior high schools can have a clear and detailed image about their future developed through university and graduate school studies.
○Advanced Science Seminar [Targets: female students of junior and senior high schools, parents, and teachers]
The purpose of this program is to raise interest in STEAM among female students of junior and senior high schools through experiments, practice, and lectures on advanced science.
○Global Lecture [Targets: female students of junior and senior high schools, parents, and teachers]
The program introduces women’s education in STEAM fields overseas and their active roles in these fields with the purpose of triggering interest in STEAM from a global perspective among female students of junior and senior high schools. The lectures may be provided by overseas researchers over the Internet.
○Front Runner Seminar [Targets: female students of junior and senior high schools, parents, and teachers]
With this program, woman speakers who take the initiative as front runners in the fields of academia and industry talk about their jobs, career paths, and more to further increase interest in STEAM among female students of junior and senior high schools.
○Leadership Seminar [Targets: female students of junior and senior high schools, parents, and teachers]
This program describes “startup” cases as examples of STEAM career paths. Female entrepreneurs who majored in STEAM at university talk about their decision to start a business, the joys of doing so, and the advantages of studying STEAM subjects. The program aims to stimulate interest in STEAM fields among female students of junior and senior high schools through entrepreneurship as described by female entrepreneurs.
○Roundtable Talk [Targets: female students of junior high schools]
Female students of universities and graduate schools talk about their enjoyment of learning STEAM studies. Our intention is to provide opportunities for participants to develop their interest in STEAM fields through a casual atmosphere that encourages them to ask freely questions.
○Observation Tour [Targets: female students of junior high schools]
We hold tours to observe marine creatures and land plants with the purpose of enhancing participants’ interest in life sciences through observation of various forms of life.
○Programming Seminar [Targets: female students of junior high schools]
Through this seminar, we provide female students of junior high schools opportunities to experience programming with the purpose of raising interest in information technology.
○Symposium and Seminar to Promote Female Education in STEAM Fields [Targets: parents, and teachers]
In this program, we promote understanding of pursuing education in STEAM fields targeting not only female students but also their parents and teachers. We will also share the challenges we face and seek solutions together.
Development of teaching programs for nurturing talent in STEAM
We have developed teaching programs and materials that enhance the interest of female students in STEAM fields. We also conduct activities in collaboration with affiliated schools.
