Girls in Space Science

In a fifth-grade classroom, a teacher asks students to draw a scientist. Most draw the same figure: a man in a lab coat, surrounded by beakers. It’s a small exercise, but it points to a larger issue—how we see science, and who we picture as scientists.

Representation in science isn’t just a matter of fairness. It shapes who feels invited to participate. When girls don’t see themselves reflected in the stories of astronauts, engineers, or astrophysicists, they begin to assume those roles aren’t for them. The damage is quiet but persistent.

Space science, in particular, has a long history of underrepresentation. While women have made groundbreaking contributions—from Katherine Johnson’s calculations to Sally Ride’s historic mission—they remain the exception in many classrooms and textbooks. Girls need to see that space is not a closed field. It’s a frontier still being built.

Programs that center girls in astronomy and STEM don’t just provide access to tools and information. They correct a long-standing imbalance. They say, clearly and directly: You belong here. And that message changes things.

In hands-on astronomy sessions, girls who’ve never handled a telescope learn how to track planets. In leadership programs, they run peer events, teach others, and present research. These experiences shift self-perception. Science stops being “out there” and starts becoming something they do, something they understand.

Confidence builds from experience, not encouragement alone. When girls lead workshops, ask questions, and explore real problems, they don’t just learn science—they begin to see themselves as capable of contributing to it. That’s how future scientists are shaped.

There’s also a ripple effect. When one girl leads a space-themed event in her school, others follow. When a sister teaches her younger sibling how to find Jupiter in the sky, something sticks. The more visible these moments become, the more the narrative shifts.

None of this requires rewriting science. It requires opening the space for participation, visibility, and leadership. The universe isn’t biased. It holds the same possibilities for everyone. It’s our job to ensure that access reflects that reality.