Isle of Man tech festival inspires girls to be scientists of tomorrow

More than 100 girls attended the STEMFest at a Manx school

More than 100 Manx brownies learned about coding, policing and engineering at an event to encourage girls to work in science and technology.

STEMFest highlighted a range of jobs in science, technology, engineering and mathematics - so-called "STEM" industries.

Experts from police and the finance industry also gave talks.

Su Simpson from Girlguiding Isle of Man said the girls, aged 7-14, were inspired by the sessions.

Supported by a local bank, the event saw brownies and guides investigate a staged crime scheme using fingerprint analysis, try out immersive technology with virtual reality headsets and learn how to code.

Guest speaker Dr Sarah Hoile, a lecturer in engineering at University College Isle of Man, said the event could help boost gender equality in future.

"Engineering underpins everything we do in society and these events are crucial to increase engagement for girls and create a more equal sector in the future", she said.

'Underrepresented'

Ms Simpson said the girls' desire to pursue careers as astronauts, police, teachers and scientists in the future showed "the true impact of what they heard and experienced".

Stuart Chivers from RBS International, which owns Isle of Man Bank, said: "Women continue to be underrepresented in the STEM sector and changing this needs to start right at the beginning of a girl's education".

Events such as this one "build interest and showcase local role models for the girls to look up to as they continue their schooling and eventually enter the workforce", he added.

The festival was separate to another educational event called STEM Fest IOM, which saw more than 800 children attend a two-day event at the Villa Marina on 10 and 11 October.

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