AI Potential to Close Gender Gap in Aviation, Quantas First Female CEO, 42% of Aviation Workers in UAE are Female
I am on the Board of Directors of the Wings Over the Rockies Air and Space Museum Captain Jeppesen Foundation. Our mission is to help students understand the bast number of opportunities that exists in aviation careers such as being a pilot, engineer, designer, maintenance technician, and many others.
One of the highlights of each year for me is when we as board members interview young students and select those who will be awarded full glider or private pilot’s license scholarships. This year we awarded more than 20 of these scholarships. It is an honor and a privilege to have the opportunity to speak to these young people and hear their inspirational stories.
Pathways to Becoming a Professional Pilot
In the hope of diversifying a profession that is approximately 92% male and 96% white, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and to make up for to a critical shortage or workers in the pipeline, airlines and aviation groups are coming up with less-than-traditional pathways to becoming a professional pilot.
AI Predicted to Open Opportunities for Women in Aviation
It has been predicted that AI will increase the number of opportunities for women in aviation by reducing unconscious gender bias where decision makers need to evaluate the work of women or hire qualified female talent.
Aviation Museums
This week I learned about two museums that I was not aware of before. The first is the Air Force Flight Test Museum at Edward’s Air Force Base in California. The new building, currently under construction, is intended to be a hub for aspiring young people in STEM to both honor the past and be inspired about the future.
The second is the International Women’s Air and Space Museum located in Cleveland, Ohio. It is the mission of this museum to collect, preserve and showcase the history and culture of women in all areas of aviation and aerospace.
Quantas Names First Female CEO
Among 123 airlines, women hold just 13% of executive posts and 22 have not female executives at all, so it is quite striking that Vanessa Hudson is now the first female CEO of Quantas.
Research Grant Funding
A Washington State University meta-analysis of research funding studies shows that male researchers receive nearly twice the grant dollars as their female counterparts.
Corporations Supporting STEM/STEAM
Volkswagen eLab is a program that allows students to access emergent technologies, including automated manufacturing equipment, 3D printers, robotics, microcomputers, renewable energy kits, and digital design tools.
T-Mobile for Education is T-Mobile’s website for all things education related to connectivity.
Early Exposure to STEM/STEAM
Early exposure to STEM concepts boosts brain development, enhances problem solving skills and help kids develop a love for learning.
In Case You Missed It…
Even though standardized testing shows that middle school girls score higher in math scores than boys, the stereotypes that boys are inherently better at math than girls persists and influences kids at this critical point in the education and growth. It’s time to stop asking girls if they are good at math and to start encouraging them to search for problems in areas that interest them and come up with solutions! Logic and problem solving are primary skills learned in STEM/STEAM education which are good skills for everyone, whether they have exemplary math skills or not.
I wonder what they are doing differently in the UAE… “Women are in all areas of aviation, not only as pilots. There are more engineers, air traffic controllers, medical, technical and legal staff.”
My Mission
The value and benefits of a career in a STEM field are well-known and well understood. Adding the “A” to STEM to create STEAM opens new doors for inclusivity, creativity and innovation in fields that are not conventionally considered to be STEM careers.
What if we stopped asking kids “Are you good at math?” and instead asked “What are your interests and what are the problems that you would love to solve?”…