Barbie Empowers Young Girls to Take on Careers in STEM in Celebration of International Women's Day

barbie Mattel Inc STEM industry America's beloved doll International Women's Day honor female leaders in the field of STEM one-of-a-kind role model dolls severely underrepresented Susan Wojcicki Anne Wojcicki Janet Wojcicki Katya Echazarreta Dr. Maggie Aderin-Pocock Prof. Dr Antje Boetius Yinuo Li from China One's The Sky at Night CBeebies Stargazing Physics News Awards reach for the stars Barbie You Can Be Anything Barbie Dream Gap Project

By Jo Anne Hubert , Parent Herald Mar 08, 04:47 am

Photo: (Photo : Getty Images/MARK RALSTON/AFP)

America's beloved doll is taking on the STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) industry with inspiration from the industry's top female leaders and in full fashion.

Barbie celebrates the historic International Women's Day by choosing to honor seven outstanding female leaders in the field of STEM from across the globe. This is to make a powerful statement for girls worldwide that they have limitless potential and can accomplish anything they put their hearts on, Businesswire reported.

Mattel Inc. manufactured "one-of-a-kind role model dolls" made in the likeness of these highly accomplished, STEM-careered women. With the knowledge that seeing is believing, they want the famous doll to give young girls access to these female leaders so that interest in the STEM industry can be started, built, and maintained.

Uplift 'severely underrepresented' women in STEM

"Barbie is dedicated to showcasing women who are role models from all backgrounds, professions, and nationalities so that girls around the world can see themselves in careers that might not always seem as accessible," Executive Vice President and Global Head of Barbie & Dolls, Mattel Lisa McKnight proclaimed.

She further stated that in honoring these seven female leaders in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, they aim to uplift all the women in these fields that are "severely underrepresented" and give the needed push to encourage young girls to follow their passion without doubts and fear if their hearts are in tune with these fields.

The brand's full lineup of global female role models, who now has a Barbie-version of themselves, are:

Susan Wojcicki from the United States, CEO of YouTube
Anne Wojcicki from the United States, Co-Founder and CEO of 23andME
Janet Wojcicki from the United States, Professor of Pediatrics and Epidemiology at the University of California, San Francisco
Katya Echazarreta from Mexico, Electrical Engineer and Science Show Host
Dr. Maggie Aderin-Pocock from the United Kingdom, Space Scientist and Science Educator
Prof. Dr. Antje Boetius from Germany, Marine Researcher and Microbiologist
Yinuo Li from China, Co-Founder of ETU Education

(Photo : Businesswire)

Fifty-four years old Dr. Maggie Aderin-Pocock is a British space scientist renowned for presenting BBC One's The Sky at Night and CBeebies Stargazing. She is also the first Black woman to win a gold in the Physics News Awards.

She shared that she wants to tell the next generation, especially girls, that STEM is "for them" and that these fields and subjects are "just too important to be left to the guys" because these are portals where females can change the world.

When BBC asked what she thinks of her own Barbie doll, she expressed high hopes that her doll will remind every little girl that when they "reach for the stars, anything is possible."

Continuously paving the way for limitless opportunities for girls

Co-Founder and CEO of 23andME Anne Wojcicki, on the other hand, felt the surrealness of people being interested in their family's stories and more so now that she has her version of Barbie, also, especially since her two sisters are alongside her in this recognition.

She yearns that the stories of the seven powerful women chosen by the brand will empower young girls to try new things, even if they scare them, and see challenges as "exciting opportunities."

Wojcicki is bound to guest in a special episode of the inspiring digital series Barbie You Can Be Anything, another way for the brand to pay tribute to these female leaders. She will share the fun in science, genetics, and DNA with kids from the Boys and Girls Club.

Barbie has been serious about bringing education, leadership skills, and mentorship opportunities for girls worldwide through its multi-year global initiative called the Barbie Dream Gap Project. Established in 2016, it aims to create and raise awareness about factors limiting girls from achieving their full potential. The project has held more than 1.5 million dollars since it was launched in partnership with nonprofit organizations.