What if the cure for cancer, the next groundbreaking app, or a new technology solution to improve patient care is locked inside the mind of a girl who never gets a chance to explore science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM)? When women are underrepresented in these fields, it creates a loss of potential that impacts us all.
Educators say that an important strategy in increasing the number of women in STEM is encouraging girls’ interest from a young age, through hands on-activities and making women role models more visible. Cardinal Health recently took action by hosting a Technology Camp for girls, providing hands-on experience and to help spark a passion for STEM careers and empower the next generation of innovators. Students in grades six through 12 from several Central Ohio schools spent a day at our Dublin, Ohio, headquarters coding, designing websites and working with circuits and electronics.
The statistics surrounding women in STEM are startling. Only about 18% of women workers have a STEM occupation, compared to 30% of men, according to the National Science Foundation. And only 18% of STEM leadership roles are held by women. Because women are underrepresented in STEM, a large portion of the potential talent pool is untapped, limiting both innovation and economic output.
“We believe instilling confidence in girls is an important way to help close the gender gap in STEM,” said Cardinal Health’s EVP and Chief Information Officer Michelle Greene. “We all know technology is shaping our future in dramatic and profound ways, and we want the next generation to be empowered to create innovative, high-impact STEM solutions. That means we need to provide girls with the exposure and experiences now that will inspire them to pursue STEM careers.”
The Technology Camp was organized by members of our technology team and STEM Initiative, which collaborates with local schools and organizations to enable students to practice critical thinking skills, build a passion for innovation and enhance their problem-solving acumen. Proceeds from the event supported our philanthropic beneficiary, CoolTechGirls, a local nonprofit organization that focuses on igniting a passion for science and technology in school-age girls.
Greene welcomed the 66 students and their parents during the first evening of camp, saying, “Seeing all of you here gives me pride, and gives me hope for a very different future. I want you to know that you can do anything. The world needs your talent, courage, and unique potential. Don’t be afraid to step up, take risks and embrace every opportunity that will come from this experience.”
The following day, students went to work, diving into their preselected project. At enrollment, each had a choice of eight different hands-on technology projects led by 18 Cardinal Health employees who crafted each project specifically for the camp. These included sessions on building interactive websites, coding soundtracks, and building a game with artificial intelligence (AI).
At the end of the camp, campers took the stage and presented the results of their projects to their peers, parents and camp volunteers. Dublin Mayor Chris Amorose Groomes kicked off the “show and tell” event by congratulating the students on their participation. “What an impressive group of young women; it was exciting to see your energy today. I’m thrilled to see the importance that Cardinal Health is placing on STEM, particularly for young girls. This is an experience that could shape their futures.”
It was clear the positive impact this event had on both the students and the coaches. Eighth grader Gweni spent the day working on a circuit and electronics project. “I learned code to build a three-color traffic light,” she said. “Now I can build traffic lights all over the world!”
Nithya, a sixth grader, helped code a soundtrack. “I learned how to collaborate with my friends to make beautiful music,” she said. Another student, Sophia, made and played tic-tac-toe with artificial intelligence (AI); during the show-and-tell session, she explained AI to the group and said, “I really liked figuring out how to make X win, and then changing the program to make O win.”
The camp coaches were equally enthusiastic about the event. Kunal Arya, a senior specialist in product and solutions marketing in our Pharmaceutical and Specialty Solutions business, coached the session on building tic-tac-toe games. “I attended code camps hosted by Cardinal Health’s commercial technologies team several times when I was in high school, and I found them inspiring. Coding can seem overwhelming at first, but the camp was a great place to start. During today’s Technology Camp, I coached a project similar to one I worked on in high school, and it was a full-circle moment for me. I hope the camp gave our students the same inspiration and guidance that was given to me.”
Brian Buss, a VP of application development and maintenance on Cardinal Health’s Global Business Services team, coached the circuits and electronics project. Buss said, “The camp surpassed my expectations; it was very gratifying to see how excited the girls were when they were able to see the circuits they built in action with different lights, sounds, sensors and displays.”
Jeff Norder, a staff engineer on our Digital and Commercial Technologies team, led a group of girls in coding soundtracks. “We had fun making music with code, and the girls learned a little bit of what it means to work like a Cardinal Health software engineer,” he said. “We gathered as a team to determine what work needed to be done, then we had focused time to code, [and] then regrouped to show each team member what was completed and talk about any changes we need to make.”
Veda Vadyar, a director on our Digital and Commercial Technologies team, taught her campers to build an interactive website. “It was a day of igniting and inspiring the next generation of technologists,” she said.
Cardinal Health's Technology Camp demonstrated a commitment to addressing the gender gap in STEM by fostering early interest and confidence in young girls. By providing hands-on experiences in coding, web design, and electronics, the camp not only equips students with valuable skills but also ignites a passion for innovation and problem-solving.
With its investment in STEM programs, Cardinal Health and similar organizations are paving the way for a future where women are equally represented and empowered in the fields of STEM.