SAN DIEGO — A different type of superhero woman filled a section of the Comic-Con museum this Sunday.
Seventeen female STEM professionals accepted a mission to inspire young superheroes in training.
They encourage young girls to pursue science, technology, engineering, and math careers.
“STEM means everything to me; the stem is how we understand anything about our bodies, nature, or the universe. It's how we have cellphones in our pockets or how we fly across the globe,” said Samantha Wynns, a conservation biologist.
She helped organize the annual event started three years ago by the organization She/Then that aims to empower the next female generation in stem careers.
“If kids can’t see themselves in a role, they can’t envision themselves in a role, so they need to see role models that look like them,” said Wynns.
According to the U.S. Census, women are nearly half of the U.S. workforce, but only 27% are STEM workers.
Hoping to bridge the gender gap in the stem system, the event provided science activities, informational booths, and panels.
Some girls got to participate, saying they were ready to train and become superhero scientists.
“Being a part of STEM is already a dream; women are so underrepresented, so it's exciting to know I could be a part of changing the gap, " said Valeria Noriega, a STEM student in Chula Vista.
Each professional had a firm belief that there is no better time to highlight positive and successful female professional role models than during Comic-Con weekend.
WATCH RELATED: 8th grade STEM team designs city of the future to solve 'Climate Change'