Hidden Figures: 50 women in STEM begin exchange program

WASHINGTON, United States – Not less than  50 international women leaders in science and technology have arrived  the United States for the third-annual Hidden No More International Visitor Leadership Program. 

The STEM exchange program is inspired by screening  of the award-winning film Hidden Figures at more than 120 U.S. Embassies and Consulates worldwide. The STM exchange program began in 2017 to highlight and develop the important contributions of women and girls in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). 

Participants and alumni are “hidden talent” in their home countries who explore and advance policies that champion the interests of women in STEM.

The program according to  the Department of State will begin in Washington, D.C., and include meetings with private and public sector organizations like National Geographic and the Smithsonian Institution. 

Participants will then split into groups and travel to Alabama, Florida, Illinois, Massachusetts, North Carolina, and South Carolina to cultivate relationships with their U.S. counterparts, discuss strategies that advance the achievement of women in STEM, and examine women’s contributions to STEM fields. 

The participants will then travel to Los Angeles, CA, and close their program with visits to the University of Southern California, California Institute of Technology, and the Walt Disney Company.

Highlights of the program include engagement with members of the UN Foundation’s Girl Up campaign, science communication skill-building and storytelling at National Geographic, and deep-dive activities at the Walt Disney Studios lot to include discussions with experts on gender portrayal and inclusion in media and the science and technology behind the magic of Disney.