Women in Games International today announced plans to present a panel at the Game Developer’s Conference in San Francisco focusing on the need to encourage more youth participation in STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) subjects. The panel brings together leaders from video games, government, and media organizations to raise awareness of the urgent need for a new generation to enter these fields to ensure a competitive economy in the United States.

‘Our panelists have had experience creating everything from video games with strong female protagonists to major films about women’s depiction in the media,’ said Belinda Van Sickle, CEO of Women in Games International. ‘There’s growing knowledge that media stereotypes have a strong influence on the opportunities young people envision for themselves. The game industry needs to be on the cutting edge of awareness, change and media innovation’in art, technology and social issues.’

The demand for scientists and engineers in the United States is expected to increase at four times the rate of all other occupations. With less than 25 percent of women entering these fields, recent government labor statistics show a shortfall of qualified applicants, which can lead to a less competitive economy in the United States. The panel will speak to the changes in global media to address the rising demand for scientists and engineers in the United States workforce.