Women have been underrepresented in STEM education and STEM careers for as long as STEM has existed. Why do we need more representation and why does that disparity continue to exist? How can we encourage more women to explore STEM careers? In this episode, Naomi Harm, CEO and Founder of Innovative Educator Consulting, discusses her decades long journey in bringing more representation to STEM education.

Naomi describes her excitement about STEM, or Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math, and views STEM as an integrated thematic unit that empowers creativity. She describes how she became passionate about encouraging women in STEM education and STEM careers because of experiences collaborating with a team of strong women leaders from diverse backgrounds. She discusses the qualities that make women strong leaders like being organized, detailed, intuitive, empathetic, and collaborative. She elaborates that everyone leads differently but shares a purpose and vision that’s collaborative. Furthermore, Naomi expresses her thoughts on diversity as a critical component and that celebrating diversity and having a more diversified team unlocks more possibilities for solving the world's global problems.

When discussing the importance of representation in STEM and the impact of having more women in STEM, Naomi shares some strategies for encouraging girls and women to explore STEM subjects and STEM careers. Throughout this conversation, Naomi emphasizes the importance of role models and mentorship, saying

“So more girls need to see that women are strong leaders. But what we as women need to give back is that we need to mentor and offer more role modeling for our younger girls so no one is locked behind. That’s a must.” - Naomi Harm

Recommended Resources from the Interview

Her-Story Global Project

Million Women Mentors

Women in STEM Leadership

Discover the Unique Individual You

About Our Guest

Naomi Harm is a women in leadership STEM strategist, an EdTech influencer, entrepreneur, educator, and published author. She has a passion and drive for instigating playful STEM innovation and future proofing educational leadership into all of her professional learning and technology literacy effective practices with K-20 students and educational leaders worldwide.