Mastercard is looking to inspire the next generation of curious minds with its first-ever appearance at the USA Science and Engineering festival. The company’s signature ‘Girls4Tech’ STEM education program will be running throughout the event for student attendees to explore new ideas and solve challenges through fun exercises.

Why Girls4Tech

Within the next decade, 80 percent of global jobs created will require a combination of science, technology, engineering and math skills[1], and while women now represent 47% of the work force, only 12 percent of engineers are women[2].  With Girls4Tech, Mastercard hopes to make an impact and inspire young girls all over the world to enter the world of data analytics, digital convergence and cryptology, and to #StartSomethingPriceless by pursing their interest in STEM.

Last October, the company made a commitment to reach 200,000 girls by 2020. So far, 21 countries have participated in the program and Girls4Tech will extend into additional countries in 2018.



How to Connect with Mastercard at the nation’s largest STEM conference

• Mastercard will be showcasing Girls4Tech at booth #2629. Student attendees will be able to take a short quiz via iPad that directs them to a station connected to his or her interests.

• Three technology-based stations will be available for students to learn through a consumable, hands-on approach.
  
  
  • Station topics are Algorithms, Cryptology and All Things Digital
  
  
  • Each station takes about six minutes to complete

• Mastercard employees will be on-hand to take the students through the program

• On Thursday, April 5^th at 2:30pm, Dana Lorberg, Executive Vice President of Operations and Technology at Mastercard will be taking the stage at X-Stem. She will speak about her experience as a woman in a male-dominated field, and the importance of discovering self-confidence. She will also announce the progress Mastercard has made on their Girls4Tech commitment.

About Girls4Tech™

Launched in 2014, Girls4Tech™ is Mastercard’s award-wining, signature employee volunteer and education program aimed at creating future problem solvers. Based on global science and math standards, the curriculum was created in conjunction with top engineers and technologists at Mastercard to teach the foundations of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) principles.
 

[1] Six Workforce Trends That Will Dominate, 2018, Randstad North America, Inc.

[2] Computer Science Organization