US Deputy Chief of Mission JoAnne Wagner has joined local STEM educators and students to inaugurate the 2021 “STEM Olympiad for Girls” competition and a discussion programme to encourage young women and girls to pursue education and careers in science, technology, engineer, and mathematics (STEM) fields.  

During the two-day virtual event, funded by the Embassy’s Public Affairs Section and in partnership with RoboLab, more than 200 middle school, high school, and undergraduate students from all eight divisions completed STEM challenges and quizzes, participated in mentor discussions with female Bangladeshi scientists and engineers, and celebrated their achievements in an awards ceremony held recently.

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Speaking at the opening ceremony of the Olympiad, Deputy Chief of Mission Wagner encouraged the participants to pursue careers in STEM and to study in the US.

“Women have and will make amazing contributions in STEM fields in Bangladesh, the United States, and around the world. You belong in science, technology, engineering, and math fields, and the world needs you there," she said.

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The 2021 “STEM Olympiad for Girls” project is one of US Embassy Dhaka’s many initiatives during the year of Bangladesh’s Golden Jubilee of independence to strengthen and expand people-to-people ties and educational linkages between the United States and Bangladesh, engage marginalised communities, ensure gender parity, and provide women and girls with opportunities to contribute to creating sustainable and inclusive economic prosperity in Bangladesh and a free and open Indo-Pacific region.

RoboLab is the Embassy’s implementing partner for this project.

RoboLab is a Dhaka-based for-profit educational organisation focused on helping children and young adults develop problem-solving, critical thinking, and logical analysis skills through age-appropriate STEM-based education, including robotics and computer programming, said the Embassy.

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