From Pi to Purple: How 'Dress for STEM Day' empowers girls

Pi Day isn’t just about numbers; it’s also a day to inspire the next generation of scientists, engineers, and meteorologists. Here's how the #DressforSTEM campaign encourages curiosity, imagination, and wonder in young women pursuing STEM careers.

March 14 is commonly known as “Pi Day” since the date, 3/14, is the same as the first three digits of Pi, 3.14, one of the most well-known numbers in math. Since the date has a natural link to math, it has become known as “Dress for STEM Day,” a nationally recognized day where people are encouraged to wear purple to promote careers in STEM, especially for girls and young women.

STEM is an acronym that stands for science, technology, engineering and math, which encompasses the field of meteorology and weather broadcasting. AccuWeather Senior Television Broadcaster, Kristina Shalhoup, wants young women to keep the same childlike sense of excitement and fascination about the world that inspired her own career in STEM.

"I feel like when we’re young, we’re encouraged to have a sense of imagination and curiosity. That sense of wonder, especially about the natural world, can fade as we get older. But I want to encourage girls and women of ALL ages to keep your curiosity alive. Don’t be afraid to look at the world around you and ask how or why things are the way they are."

Every year, dozens of AccuWeather employees wear purple on March 14 to show their support for careers in STEM and the growing movement.

Wearing purple on 'Dress for STEM Day' started in 2015 with a group of female meteorologists, Julia Leopold and STEM organizer told AccuWeather. Dozens of women bought the same dress and wore it on air. After going viral, they decided to wear it on the same day to promote the need for more gender diversity in STEM fields.

"Female meteorologists, like so many other female scientists, are the minority in their fields. Over the years, that evolved," she said. "We picked purple for Pi Day and now across the country, we have so many people showing up for this day, wearing purple...But also talking about the challenges women face in STEM careers. When we talk about those challenges, we can identify the barriers and start to tear them down."

AccuWeather Senior Television Broadcaster Melissa Constanzer says until she came to AccuWeather, she rarely experienced working with women throughout her career in science. "I worked in all male weather departments so it was certainly nice to have a few more women to interact with when I came to AccuWeather."

For girls looking to get into STEM, it is never too early to start exploring career options. Shalhoup said having a mentor is one of the best ways to get started.

"If you’ve dreamt of a career in STEM but need a little push, lean on the women in STEM around you! I’ve had a lot of wonderful female STEM role models, not just in meteorology but in my life in general, who have encouraged me to pursue this career to the fullest. It’s a supportive community! I’m always happy to help however I can."

Constanzer added that giving girls and young women encouragement, educational opportunities and raising awareness that women are just as capable as men will inspire the next generation of females in STEM to reduce what, for many women, can be an isolating experience.

"Over the past few decades, we've certainly seen more women take an interest in sciences, especially in meteorology there's a lot more women on camera these days, so it's nice to see that increase... But it can be a pretty isolated road at times because often you'll find yourself as the only woman at a station covering weather."

Leopold is seeing a positive trend with more young women entering STEM fields but said there is still a long way to go.

"Women make up about half the workforce but less than 30% of STEM careers, so there is still a long way to go; we do need to bring more women and gender diversity to the STEM table," she said, adding that inspiring girls to go in science and math fields early in life is helpful. "Really hone in on that age and start encouraging girls who are passionate about science and math to continue that passion...Much like a sport, if you practice it and you stay interested, you can get even better."

On the other end of the spectrum, Kristina Shalhoup wants women of all ages who are interested in science and math to know that it's never too late.

"As someone who got into a STEM career a bit later than most in my respective field, I want to remind women of all ages that it is never, EVER too late to live out your dream or discover an entirely new one. STEM is for everybody. No matter your gender, no matter your age."

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