Inspira STEAM is a pioneering project for encouraging science and technology aptitudes among girls

Inspira STEAM arose from the need to promote science and technology aptitudes among schoolchildren, particularly girls. The number of students opting for technology training is declining each year, and the figures are particularly alarming in the case of girls. Despite women accounting for 54.3% of students in the Spanish university system, the percentage of girls studying technical courses such as Engineering and Architecture is just 26.4%.

This is where Abantail aims to make a contribution. Sonia Ortubai, Abantail’s Managing Director, is working as a femtor (female mentor) at the Salbatore Mitxelena school in Zarautz.

The femtors are at the heart of this project, helping both girls and boys with 6 working sessions during school time. They are all women who work professionally in different areas of science and technology: the academic field, business, research, management, etc.

Inspira STEAM is a project developed by Deusto University with collaboration from Innobasque in the Basque Country, Edenway and the University of Rovira i Virgili in Catalonia, CIONET in Madrid, the Universities of Cádiz (UCA) and Jaén in Andalusia, the University of Vigo in Galicia and the University of Oviedo in Asturias, and funded by the three regional governments Bizkaia, Gipuzkoa and Araba in addition to BBK, Roche, Barcelona Activa, Silk, HP Foundation and San Sebastián City Council.