- 6% of participating girls wanted to pursue a STEAM-related career after taking part in the Science and Technology program, whose 7th edition has just concluded at Málaga TechPark
The closing ceremony of the “Science and Technology in Feminine” 7th edition began with welcome remarks from:
- Felipe Romera, President of APTE and General Director of Málaga TechPark
- Alicia Izquierdo, Málaga City Councilor for Innovation, Urban Digitalization, Technological and Business Investment Promotion
- Beatriz Blázquez, Deputy Vice-Rector for Mobility at the University of Málaga
- Paloma Rodríguez, Provincial Secretary-General for Educational Development and Vocational Training in Málaga
- Elena Chavarría, Communications & ESG Manager at Hitachi Rail
Felipe Romera highlighted that “STEAM disciplines offer the jobs of the future” and encouraged students to consider these fields as solid career options, emphasizing the role of science and technology parks in promoting STEAM vocations among younger generations.
Councilor Alicia Izquierdo, a telecommunications engineer, shared her personal experience, noting that this career path has brought her many opportunities. She encouraged girls not to limit themselves, emphasizing that they are well-prepared to pursue these careers, though self-demand and fear of failure are common barriers.
She also urged them to explore places like Málaga’s Polo Digital, which promotes technology from an early age.
Beatriz Blázquez underlined the University of Málaga’s commitment to promoting female talent in science and technology: “We have launched programs like Hedy Lamarr Chair for Women and Technology, and the ‘Como tú’ initiative, which brings together more than 140 female scientists and technologists.” They also collaborate with schools and companies to bring role models into classrooms.
Paloma Rodríguez underscored the transformative power of technology: “It’s crucial to remember that science and technology are essential tools for improving societal well-being, especially when combined with social sciences.” She shared that the Regional Ministry is working to involve students in projects related to these areas.
Elena Chavarría emphasized Hitachi Rail’s commitment to Science and Technology in Feminine and diversity: “These initiatives are part of our innovation and inclusion strategy. In the European rail sector, only 26% of roles are held by women, even though they comprise 46% of the workforce. We need more women and diverse perspectives to design better solutions for society,” she added.
Key figures
After the opening remarks, project leader Lole Franco presented the main results of this edition: 21 science and technology parks from APTE participated, hosting a total of 38 events with over 3,000 students from 50 schools across Spain.
Survey data revealed that 36% of participating girls are inclined toward STEAM-related careers, but only 7.6% are considering purely tech professions. Notably, 6% of the girls reported changing their minds and now aspire to a STEM career after participating in the program.
When combined with the results from previous editions, 8% of nearly 12,000 girls have shifted toward STEAM disciplines thanks to the over 280 events held since 2018, supported by more than 20 APTE-member parks.
También se ha hecho referencia a las nuevas colaboraciones con la Fundación Inspiring Girls, especializada en programas de mentoring y con KeepCoding, una escuela de formación online en programación y tecnología.
New collaborations specialized in mentoring programs were also announced with the Inspiring Girls Foundation and KeepCoding, an online tech and programming school.
Panel Discussion
The event continued with a panel moderated by Soledad Díaz, APTE’s Managing Director, focusing on female leadership and fostering early STEAM vacations. Panelists included:
- Sofía Schneider, VP AI South & Málaga Site Leader at Oracle, and coordinator of the Málaga TechPark Execs Women Leadership network.
- Teresa Cruz, General Director of the Descubre Foundation.
- Esther Torés, Málaga delegate for the ASTI Foundation.
Teresa Cruz highlighted the importance of “making role models visible and bringing science closer to society.” She recommended resources such as TurismoCientifico.es and the Descubre Foundation online agenda.
Sofía Schneider shared her work with Málaga TechPark Execs Women Leadership: “We are 50 women leaders mentoring within park companies, giving talks in schools, and organizing networking activities. We want to inspire, spark curiosity, and help young girls dream without limits.”
Esther Torés explained the work of STEM Talent Girl: “We support students from secondary school through university in discovering their vocation. This year, we reached Málaga with 256 students. Alongside technical skills, we promote creativity, teamwork, and resilience.”
Pressentation by María García Puyol
María García Puyol, AI software engineer at Google Cloud Málaga, delivered an inspiring keynote about her remarkable career. After a decade at Google’s Mountain View headquarters (California), she returned to Málaga to develop AI solutions. In 2018, MIT Technology Review named her one of Europe’s Top 35 Innovators under 35 for her work on Android’s emergency location system.
Competition
The event closed with the announcement of the winners of the 7th edition of the “Innovative proposals for sustainable development challenges” contest. The first prize went to students from Colegio Salesianos Santo Ángel for their project “BOSQUI”, in collaboration with Parque Científico Tecnológico Avilés Isla de la Innovación.
Winners received a trophy, a Lego robotics kit, the book Supermujeres, superinventoras, and a tech course from KeepCoding.
Second place went to Colegio Regina Carmeli for creating “BUILDING A SUSTAINABLE GARDEN FOR ANIMALS,” in collaboration with València Parc Tencològic of Paterna
Third place was awarded to IES Bovalar for “LIPLACA BOT”, in collaboration with Espaitec, Science and Technology Park of the Universitat Jaume I of Castelló. Both groups received the same book and VR glasses for language learning.
- Event recording.
- Check out the report here.
- View all finalist proposals here.