Getting women equal opportunities in STEM fields is an ongoing issue, and one way some tech companies (including Microsoft) have been addressing it is by trying to get girls interested in science at a younger age. While initiatives like this seem to be making progress and giving girls the confidence to pursue these fields, one big problem still remains: they don’t have many role models to look up to. Or so they think.

Part of the problem is that while the achievements of male inventors have been well-publicized and taught in schools, the same can’t be said for female inventors, as seen in this video by agency m:united, where young girls are able to name several male inventors, but not a single female one. Looking to change that, the video ends with a rapid-fire list of all the things women have invented through the years, as well as more in-depth looks at their stories online.

[iframe_youtube video = “Y8DBwchocvs”]

On the ground, Microsoft is encouraging girls to participate in its YouthSpark computer science training programs for kids around the world (ones in Winnipeg, Mississauga and Vancouver are coming up), having a women-focused activation at SXSW later this month to connect them with tech influencers and a program to fund patents for women coming down the road.

Credits:

Brand: Microsoft
Agency: m:united
Co-Chief Creative Officers: Sean Bryan, Thomas Murphy
Group Creative Directors: Susan Young, Daniela Vojta
Copywriter: Sarah Menacho
Senior Art Director: Trinh Pham
Designer: Kelly Kim
Head of Integrated Production: Aaron Kovan
Senior Producer: Meg McCarthy
Producer: Rebecca Magner
Digital Credits
SVP, Group Creative Director: Roberto Santellana
UX Director: Daniel Schultze
Designer: Jaeeun Chung
UX Specialist: Flora Kwong
Interactive Producer: Sean Flannigan
President m:united: John Dunleavy
Managing Director: Kevin Nelson
Account: Tina Galley, Jason Kolinsky, Rosemary Calderone, Courtney LeBlanc, Sarah Livingston
Global Strategy Director: Michelle Kiely
Strategy: Todd Sussman, Eldad Heilweil, Priyanka Nigam, Courtney Bernstein, Ryan Duffy
Project Management: Stella Warkman, Kristen Lillis, Vinny Tran

Production Company: Hungry Man
Director: Nanette Burstein
Executive Producer: Nancy Hacohen
Producer: Julianne Maloney
Postproduction
Union Editorial
Editor: Sloane Klevin
EP: Caryn Maclean
Producer: Lauren Hafner Addison
​Flame: Kirk ​Balden
​Graphics Producer: Yoko Lytle
Graphics Creative Director: Chris ​Bialkowski
​Graphics Artist: Eric ​Dalimarta
Mix: Cory Melious @ Heard City​
Transfer: Jaime O’Bradovich @ Company 3​
Music: JSM Music
Chief Creative Officer/Composer: Joel Simon
Executive Producer: Jeff Fiorello
Producer: Norm Felker
Asche & Spencer