As Secretary Sally Jewell demonstrates in her own words above, you don't have to be a Nobel Prize winner to inspire someone to pursue a career in science and technology. There are millions more untold stories of women who have broken down barriers in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math — and accounting for the rich history of women's contributions in these fields is going to take all of us telling them. Maybe it's a former teacher. Maybe it's your grandmother. Maybe it's you.
When it comes to inspiring young women to pursue careers in STEM fields, research has already shown us what works: Providing early, hands-on experience and encouragement; sharing the stories of positive role models in these fields (like the women whose stories we share); and illustrating the broad impact of roles in these fields.
Tomorrow's Ada Lovelace, Grace Hopper, or team of ENIAC programmers could be waiting to be inspired to pursue a scientific career. What are you going to do to help make it happen? Make a commitment today. We'll share a sampling of your stories across White House channels to inspire others to step up in their communities.