by KYW’s Dr. Marciene Mattleman

Women hold more than half of all professional occupations in the US; but fewer than 24% of all computing-related enterprises. Only 16% of Fortune 500 technology companies have women corporate officers.

A study on US technology patenting reveals that patents created by mixed gender teams are the most highly-cited, yet women were involved in only 9% of US tech patents.

TechGirlz is a new non-profit effort aiming to encourage female participation in these high-growth fields by addressing the cause of the disparity. Middle school girls are opting out of technology at a young age.

The initiative will help them understand that technology is not just about programming software; technology is used in almost every part of our lives. To pique their interest and curiosity before they decide that it’s not for them, there will be role models speaking with the girls and hands-on experiences.

The first meeting is on September 25th at the Science Center, 3711 Market St, Philadelphia. To register or get information, visit www.TechGirlz.org.