Need a photo of a scientist? How about a mathematician?" great news. Thanks to Lida Hill Philanthropies, journalists, teachers, and museum curators no longer have to rely on stock images that depict men doing many of those jobs. Last week, Lida Hill Philanthropies announced the launch of the world's largest (and free) digital library of images and videos focused on women in STEM fields. According to a press release, the resource is part of the IF/THEN initiative (open in new tab), which aims to encourage young girls to pursue STEM careers and educate them about the culture of women in STEM. Nicole Small, CEO of [Lida Hill Philanthropies (open in new tab) and co-founder of the IF/THEN Initiative, said, "The IF/THEN collection offers endless opportunities to impact the visual world around us. Our goal is to make STEM seem exciting, relevant, and cool to girls everywhere." And seeding the visual landscape with relatable and diverse images of women is key to making this happen"

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The online resource was created by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and Lyda Hill Philanthropies as part of the IF/THEN More than 125 STEM change agents (opens in new tab) have been selected by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and Lyda Hill Philanthropies as ambassadors, with photos and videos of their work. The women, who come from a variety of backgrounds, serve as role models for young women interested in science and technology.

Last year, the initiative also produced #IfThenSheCan - The Exhibit (opens in new tab), a 3D printed display of 120 female statues. The show was scheduled to premiere in Dallas earlier this year, but was postponed due to COVID-19. However, those living in the New York area can see a sneak peek: starting next month, six figures from the exhibit will be on display at the Central Park Zoo.

But the gallery and the statues are only two aspects of the initiative. According to a press release, IF/THEN is also partnering with the Association of Science and Technology Centers (ASTC) (open in new tab) to fund a $650,000 grant program for ASTC member museums. The project will help museums, technology facilities, and science centers across the United States create more exhibits featuring women.

"The call for real images of women and sexual minorities in STEM fields is part of a growing effort among museums to represent the full diversity of humanity in their content," said Christine Dolgello, ASTC president and CEO.

To help teachers create classroom projects that include more images and information about women in STEM, IF/THEN has partnered with educational crowdfunding site DonorsChoose (opens in new tab) to launch the IF/THEN Collection Innovation Challenge (open in new tab). The top 10 most creative projects will receive $5,000 in DonorsChoose credits to use in their next class. if/THEN has also awarded Girl Scouts of the USA (opens in new tab) and Teach for America (opens in new tab) will also donate approximately $1.25 million. The goal is for educators to use the content of the IF/THEN collection for lesson planning and beyond.

According to a press release, "With the changing face of back-to-school this year, image-based communication is more important than ever," said Charles Best, founder and CEO of DonorsChoose. By leveraging and integrating the authentic and diverse collection of images from women in STEM into creative and exciting teaching materials and lessons, educators will help to facilitate this new STEM narrative and cultural shift."

The future is bright.

For more information on the IF/THEN collection, click here. (open in new tab) [19].