Considering indisputable evidence about the benefits In her experience leading the University of Florida company or patenting their idea or technology projects.
of gender diversity, it’s no wonder companies in The Empowering Women in Technology Startups (EWITS) Kathy is proud to share the success of these programs
Corridor and across the nation are determined to fill more program, Kathy has attracted women to STEM in attracting women who may not have otherwise
technical roles with women. “How can we more quickly opportunities by simply changing the dialogue. considered possibilities in STEM.
“If I reframe it as, ‘learn more about leadership and how “When you get 40 women in a room having these
to empower yourself in technology,’ that tends to be experiences together, it is profound.
more effective in getting women interested in a STEM the program, they report back and say, ‘Wow! I never
program than a traditional pitch focused just on the would’ve considered myself to be an entrepreneur,
topic of entrepreneurship,” she explained. and certainly not a technology entrepreneur, but now
and effectively do this?” is the million-dollar question.
Unfortunately, there
is no magic bullet.
Kathy Sohar, Ph.D., associate director of Women’s
Entrepreneurial Programs in the Warrington College of
Business at the University of Florida (UF), stresses the
importance of an organization’s strategic initiatives to
attract and support women, but also notes that simpler,
less formal tactics could have an impact.
At the end of
I realize I can do this and I want to do this,’” said Kathy.
She employs this tactic as director of UF’s Collaboratory
for Women Innovators, which houses the EWITS Recruitment is only one piece of the puzzle, however.
program among its portfolio of resources and training Once women are recruited by programs like the
opportunities designed to support more women to Collaboratory and enter the STEM workforce, retention
participate in commercialization, either by starting a becomes an issue critical to closing the gender gap.
f l o r i d a . H I G H . T E C H . c o m | 63