Presenters: Shoshanah Cohen (1868)

Key Takeaway: Intentional inclusion by both mentors and peers is key to girls’ retention.

What keeps girls engaged in FRC? Based on survey data from nearly 600 students, alumni, mentors, and volunteers, this session shares research on the factors that influence girls’ experiences and retention. Findings reveal how team demographics, mentor representation, and team culture affect belonging, confidence, and the pressure girls feel to prove themselves, with practical strategies for building teams where girls thrive. 

About the Presenters:

A passionate advocate for girls in STEM, Shosh Cohen has been a Space Cookies mentor for 13 years. In her day job, she directs community engaged learning in engineering at Stanford University, strengthening and expanding experiential learning opportunities for students in all engineering disciplines through partnerships with local, national, and international communities. She is also a lecturer in Mechanical Engineering and teaches Stanford’s senior capstone course sequence.