Alice Hou is not afraid to be the center of attention - she enjoys performing traditional Chinese dance routines on stage. But the 16-year-old high school student in Texas, US, felt alienated earlier this year when she walked into her first computer science lecture. There were only 11 women in a class of 100.
It was a familiar feeling for Hou. When she was in ninth grade, she used to be one of only seven girls out of 40 competitors who were competing at a state science fair.
After that, Hou decided to do her part to close the gender gap(性别差异) in STEM, which stands for science, technology, engineering, and math. She formed a club called Girls in STEM. It focuses on teaching and encouraging girls to be interested in STEM. Only girls can join it.
Hou wants girls to know that STEM can be fun. The club isn't just about sitting in a laboratory and doing homework. There are interesting activities that can spark girls' interest in STEM. Girls can also share learning experiences with each other.
The group used to have only seven girls at Hou's school. Over the years, the club has spread to other schools. It now has 45 members. Hou's goal is to bring it to 10 schools in total and turn it into a non-profit(非营利组织) in the coming years.
Surveys have shown that women work in fewer than 30 percent of STEM jobs in the United States. Hou hopes Girls in STEM will help more young women follow their dreams in this field.
