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    <journal-meta />
    <article-meta>
      <title-group>
        <article-title>Building Futures in STEM from Southern Chile: Experiences to Foster Vocations and Promote Gender Equity⋆</article-title>
      </title-group>
      <contrib-group>
        <contrib contrib-type="author">
          <string-name>Ana Bustamante Mora</string-name>
          <email>ana.bustamante@ufrontera.cl</email>
          <xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff1">1</xref>
        </contrib>
        <contrib contrib-type="author">
          <string-name>Gabriela Reyes Vera</string-name>
          <email>gabriela.reyes@ufrontera.cl</email>
          <xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff2">2</xref>
        </contrib>
        <contrib contrib-type="author">
          <string-name>Adrialy Muci Nunez</string-name>
          <email>adrialy.muci@ufrontera.cl</email>
          <xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff0">0</xref>
        </contrib>
        <contrib contrib-type="author">
          <string-name>Jaime Díaz Arancibia</string-name>
          <email>jaimeignacio.diaz@ufrontera.cl</email>
          <xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff1">1</xref>
        </contrib>
        <aff id="aff0">
          <label>0</label>
          <institution>Centro de Vinculación Temprana y Apoyo Matemático, Departamento de Matemática y Estadística, Universidad de La Frontera</institution>
          ,
          <addr-line>Temuco 4811230</addr-line>
          ,
          <country country="CL">Chile</country>
        </aff>
        <aff id="aff1">
          <label>1</label>
          <institution>Departamento de Ciencias de la Computación e Informática, Facultad de Ingeniería y Ciencias, Universidad de La Frontera</institution>
          ,
          <addr-line>Temuco 4811230</addr-line>
          ,
          <country country="CL">Chile</country>
        </aff>
        <aff id="aff2">
          <label>2</label>
          <institution>Dirección de Vinculación con el Medio, Facultad de Ingeniería y Ciencias, Universidad de La Frontera</institution>
          ,
          <addr-line>Temuco 4811230</addr-line>
          ,
          <country country="CL">Chile</country>
        </aff>
      </contrib-group>
      <pub-date>
        <year>2025</year>
      </pub-date>
      <abstract>
        <p>The persistent gender gap in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) continues to be a critical challenge in Latin America, particularly during early educational stages. This article presents a systematization of two gender-oriented initiatives implemented in southern Chile that aim to promote equity in STEM from secondary education: the Yo Quiero Ser Ingeniera program, launched in 2018 by the Faculty of Engineering and Science at Universidad de La Frontera, and two editions of the STEM CAMVIT Camp, in Lican Ray in the 2023 and 2024 version. Both initiatives seek to foster early interest and vocations in STEM among girls and adolescents, strengthen inclusive learning communities, and provide female role models in engineering and science. Through a qualitative, experience-based approach, this study analyzes their main achievements, challenges, and lessons learned. The results highlight critical success factors for gender-responsive interventions in education and ofer insights into their sustainability and adaptability in diverse territorial contexts. This article contributes to the development of inclusive pedagogical strategies that empower girls and adolescents to envision themselves as future leaders in science and technology.</p>
      </abstract>
      <kwd-group>
        <kwd>eol&gt;Gender Gap</kwd>
        <kwd>STEM vocations</kwd>
        <kwd>Equity</kwd>
        <kwd>Female role</kwd>
        <kwd>Secondary education</kwd>
        <kwd>Women communities</kwd>
      </kwd-group>
    </article-meta>
  </front>
  <body>
    <sec id="sec-1">
      <title>1. Introduction</title>
      <p>
        In recent decades, eforts to reduce gender gaps in STEM have gained institutional and academic
momentum. Still, women remain underrepresented both in education and the workforce. Globally,
fewer than 30% of science and technology researchers are women [
        <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="ref1">1</xref>
        ], and female enrollment in STEM
ifelds, especially in engineering and IT, remains disproportionately low [
        <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="ref2">2</xref>
        ]. These disparities point not
only to numerical gaps, but to deeper issues tied to stereotypes, the lack of female role models, and
exclusionary institutional cultures.
      </p>
      <p>
        Organizations like UNESCO and ECLAC stress the importance of incorporating a gender lens in STEM
education, urging multidimensional strategies that go beyond access to include retention, recognition,
and leadership [
        <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="ref1 ref3">3, 1</xref>
        ]. Education thus becomes a key space to challenge stereotypes and shape new
imaginaries.
      </p>
      <p>
        In Latin America, these inequalities are compounded by social and territorial disparities. Early
vocational decisions are influenced by internalized gender biases that undermine confidence in fields
like math or computing [
        <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="ref4">4, 5</xref>
        ]. These dynamics demand early interventions that expand aspirations
and provide relatable role models. Rural and semi rural areas face more acute challenges, requiring
intersectional approaches that consider local, socioeconomic, and cultural conditions [
        <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="ref1">1</xref>
        ]. Programs
that combine experiential STEM learning with mentoring and equity frameworks have shown positive
outcomes for girls’ motivation and persistence [6, 7, 8]. Yet, policy responses remain uneven and often
fail to transform the cultural norms within STEM environments.
      </p>
      <p>Community based and university driven initiatives ofer promising alternatives. When STEM
education aligns with local realities, it becomes a tool for transformation. This article explores two Chilean
initiatives: Yo Quiero Ser Ingeniera, launched by Universidad de La Frontera in 2018, and the STEM
CAMVIT Camp, held in Licán Ray in 2023 and 2024. Both provide immersive, gender sensitive STEM
experiences rooted in territorial engagement.</p>
      <p>Through a qualitative and reflective lens, we systematize these initiatives to highlight their design,
methodologies, and contributions to inclusive STEM practices and the building of women’s communities
across Latin America.</p>
    </sec>
    <sec id="sec-2">
      <title>2. Background</title>
      <p>
        Early engagement in STEM is crucial for shaping girls’ academic and professional paths. Career
aspirations begin in childhood and adolescence and are deeply influenced by educational and sociocultural
factors [9]. However, internalized gender stereotypes often weaken girls’ self eficacy in areas like math
and computing [
        <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="ref4">4</xref>
        ], [5], creating invisible barriers that limit their imagination of a future in STEM.
Promoting inclusive pedagogies is therefore essential to foster sustained interest and equitable access.
      </p>
      <p>Educational settings often reproduce gender bias. Studies show that girls are frequently exposed
to messages from teachers, peers, media, or curriculum that frame STEM as male dominated [10],
[7]. These signals shape their academic decisions and performance expectations. Gender responsive
teaching must actively challenge these stereotypes and ofer spaces where girls feel recognized and
competent in STEM.</p>
      <p>
        Support networks also play a key role. Formal and informal communities of women in STEM ofer
mentoring, shared experiences, and emotional support, especially in male dominated contexts [11],
[8]. These communities promote belonging and persistence, particularly during critical transitions in
education. Advancing equity requires structural change. As UNESCO and ECLAC note, true equity
goes beyond enrollment, it includes visibility, recognition, and representation in decision making [
        <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="ref1">1</xref>
        ],
[
        <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="ref3">3</xref>
        ]. Institutions must address systemic exclusion and reimagine who belongs in STEM and whose
contributions are valued.
      </p>
      <p>In this context, gender sensitive STEM education is a critical framework. It prioritizes inclusive
curricula, participatory methods, and afirming students’ identities, especially for those from marginalized
groups [12]. Core strategies include teacher training and contextualized STEM learning that dismantle
classroom bias.</p>
      <p>Lastly, female role models have proven to boost girls’ motivation and sense of belonging. Exposure to
women in STEM through teaching, mentoring, or media enhances confidence and ofers concrete proof
that success is attainable and diverse [7], [13], particularly when those role models share the students’
own backgrounds.</p>
      <sec id="sec-2-1">
        <title>2.1. Gender and STEM in Chile: Policies, Gaps, and Initiatives</title>
        <p>To understand girls’ participation in STEM in a critical and situated way, it is important to consider the
interplay of early vocational interests, gendered expectations, school based stereotypes, and access to
inclusive pedagogies and mentorship. These factors shape how girls engage with science and technology,
and their impact must be analyzed within a dynamic system of structural constraints and individual
agency.</p>
        <p>Despite growing awareness, women remain underrepresented in STEM in Chile. As of 2022, only
19% of first year university students in STEM fields were women, with even lower participation in
STEM CAMVIT Camp</p>
        <p>university
Public
(UFRO)</p>
        <p>Main Focus
Girls aged 10–18 Hands on STEM
workshops, mentoring,
professional networks
Teenage girls Mobile app development,
teamwork,
entrepreneurship
Primary and secondary Scientific camps, female
students role models, playful
learn</p>
        <p>ing
Girls, youth and adult Digital education,
leaderwomen ship and tech
empowerment
Workshops, visibility,
labor market inclusion
Campus visits,
technical workshops, leadership
and mentoring
High school girls and Immersive STEM
learnteachers ing, territorial and
peda</p>
        <p>gogical approach
Type of Organiza- Target Population
tion</p>
        <p>NGO / Foundation
engineering and computing [14]. These gaps are tied to deep rooted barriers that emerge early in
schooling and are reinforced by gender stereotypes, family expectations, limited exposure to STEM,
and the lack of female role models particularly in rural and underserved areas [15].</p>
        <p>In response, several public and civil society initiatives have emerged. The Ingeniosas program,
supported by Fundación Girls in Tech Chile and UNESCO, provides STEM workshops and mentoring for
girls from diverse backgrounds [16]. Technovation Girls Chile encourages digital innovation through
app development projects led by teenage girls. At the policy level, the Ministry of Science launched the
2021 National Policy on Gender Equality in CTCI, which includes over 30 measures to promote equity
in science and innovation [17], see Table 1.</p>
        <p>In addition to public eforts, civil society and academia have fostered a dynamic landscape of programs
aimed at promoting gender inclusion in STEM. Initiatives such as "Girls in Tech Chile", "Ingeniosas",
"Chicas STEAM", "Geek Girls LatAm", and "Technovation Girls Chile" provide a range of experiential
opportunities for girls and adolescents. These include coding workshops, mentoring networks, public
awareness campaigns, hackathons, and mobile app development guided by social impact. Many of
these programs are concentrated in urban areas and focus on digital empowerment or early innovation,
supported by international organizations such as UNESCO and UN Women. Although they represent
important strides toward equity, fewer initiatives are designed to reach rural school communities,
promote intergenerational collaboration with teachers, or embed STEM training within territorially
situated learning environments.</p>
        <p>This context underscores the relevance of university led initiatives like Yo Quiero Ser Ingeniera and
the STEM CAMVIT Camp, which adopt a gender and territory sensitive perspective. These programs not
only respond to national policy goals but also fill critical gaps by building sustained, inclusive and place
based engagement with STEM from early educational stages. In the following sections, we analyze
their structure, methodologies, and contributions to the broader ecosystem of gender equity in Chilean
science and technology.</p>
      </sec>
      <sec id="sec-2-2">
        <title>2.2. Chile’s southern region faces the STEM gap: La Araucanía</title>
        <p>While Chilean national policies have begun addressing gender gaps in STEM, they often fail to account
for the territorial inequalities that shape the educational landscape. Southern regions such as La
Araucanía, Los Ríos, and Los Lagos face ongoing challenges in infrastructure, teacher development, and
curricular innovation, especially in rural areas [18], [19]. These disparities limit meaningful access to
science and technology for girls, both in schools and extracurricular settings.</p>
        <p>Studies show that rural girls in Chile face dual exclusion: gendered expectations and limited access to
STEM resources, such as labs, clubs, or female mentors [20]. The absence of local role models reinforces
perceptions of STEM as distant from everyday life and identity.</p>
        <p>Nonetheless, southern Chile has also become a space of educational innovation. Universities and
NGOs have developed programs in collaboration with schools that include female scientists as mentors
and facilitators. These initiatives ofer bottom up responses to systemic exclusion by combining gender
equity with territorial relevance. Yo Quiero Ser Ingeniera and the STEM CAMVIT Camp, both based in
La Araucanía, embody this approach. They serve not only as early intervention strategies but also as
platforms for reimagining science through identity, community, and local development.</p>
        <p>The following section presents these two initiatives and their contributions to reducing gender gaps
and motivating secondary students and educators in STEM.</p>
      </sec>
    </sec>
    <sec id="sec-3">
      <title>3. Yo Quiero Ser Ingeniera: Early orientation and inclusion in</title>
    </sec>
    <sec id="sec-4">
      <title>Engineering and Sciences.</title>
      <p>The program Yo Quiero Ser Ingeniera [21], was created in 2018 by the Dirección de Vinculación con el
Medio de la Facultad de Ingeniería y Ciencias (FICA) of the Universidad de La Frontera (UFRO), as a
concrete strategy to address the low representation of women in STEM careers, especially in engineering,
technology and sciences. Unlike initiatives aimed solely at vocational promotion, this program aims to
guide female high school students in their process of choosing and applying to university, ofering early,
relevant and meaningful experiences that contribute to informed and sustained decisions over time.</p>
      <p>In its first editions, the program was aimed at 3rd and 4th year high school students, which allowed
a gradual approach to university life. However, it is now focused mainly on 4th grade students, with
some exceptions, in order to reinforce the decision making process at a critical stage of transition to
higher education.</p>
      <p>The program contemplates five fundamental axes: (1) vocational orientation to explore real interests
in engineering and science, (2) practical and experiential experiences to learn about professional work,
(3) detailed presentation of the diferent careers ofered at FICA, (4) generation of a Special Admission
pathway through the category “Participant in Early Linkage Activities”, and (5) subsequent institutional
support for students who enroll in the Faculty. The current call ofers 40 places per edition, and the
activities are carried out in person and free of charge, between the months of May and August, with
sessions on Fridays from 15:00 to 17:00 hours. The program includes thematic workshops, vocational
orientation, visits to laboratories, extra classroom contests and mentoring spaces, all designed with a
practical, collaborative and inclusive approach.</p>
      <p>The activities are led by academics, professionals and university students from FICA, who guarantee
access to all the necessary materials and promote direct dialogue with the university community.</p>
      <p>The computer and informatics area has played a leading role through workshops on logical thinking,
programming and technological challenges, allowing students to approach technical knowledge and
challenge gender stereotypes in an active learning environment.</p>
      <p>In addition, the intergenerational component of the program, which involves female academics,
graduates and student mentors, allows the establishment of meaningful links and ofers real references
for those who come from contexts with low female representation in science and technology.</p>
      <p>With seven editions carried out, Yo Quiero Ser Ingeniera has been consolidated as an institutional
strategy of early linkage with a gender focus, which articulates teaching, extension and inclusion
policies. Its evolution reflects FICA’s sustained commitment to building a more equitable, territorially
relevant and culturally transformative training ecosystem.</p>
      <p>One of the outstanding and highly valued benefits of the program is the possibility of applying to
careers in the Faculty of Engineering and Sciences through Special Admission, through the category
“Participant in Early Linkage Activities”. This path is specifically designed to recognize the formative
trajectory of students who have actively participated in the program, and allows them to enter the
university through a modality other than regular admission, as long as they have at least 85% attendance
to the programmed activities.</p>
      <p>This mechanism not only broadens access opportunities for talented young women interested in
engineering and science, but also gives institutional visibility to their efort, commitment and early
motivation to join a challenging academic environment. In addition, it reinforces the transformative
nature of the program, reconfiguring the link between secondary and higher education based on
formative criteria and not exclusively standardized, as is the case with the university entrance exam.
From a gender perspective, this admission policy also represents an advance towards equity in the
admission to careers underrepresented by women, and allows consolidating the sustained work of the
Faculty in terms of inclusion, permanence and educational justice.</p>
      <p>Regarding program evolution, participation and intake impact, the Yo Quiero Ser Ingeniera program
has shown remarkable continuity and institutional relevance since its launch in 2018. Over seven
editions, it has engaged hundreds of high school students through immersive STEM activities with
a gender equity lens. The program not only provides mentoring and academic experiences, but also
serves as a gateway to engineering education through a special admissions pathway, see Figure 1.</p>
      <p>The top graph shows the number of students who participated in each edition of the program, which
peaked in 2021 with 215 participants, and has since moved to a more female focused model for high
school seniors, with a smaller format. The graph below shows the number of participants who were
admitted to the Faculty of Engineering and Science (FICA) at Universidad de La Frontera the year
following their participation, see Figure 2. Admission rates have remained constant, with an annual
average of 18 to 24 students entering FICA through this route, even though overall participation has
varied. In recent years, despite a deliberate reduction in cohort size (e.g., 40 students in 2023 and
2024), the conversion rate between participation and admission has remained strong, underscoring the
program’s efectiveness as a strategic tool for early outreach and sustained inclusion (2025 also already
selected 40 participants).</p>
      <p>Based on Table 2, it is evident that Civil Industrial Engineering1 consistently stands out as the most
1In the Chilean context, the term "Civil Engineering" in a degree title does not necessarily refer to the field of infrastructure
or structural engineering. Rather, it denotes a professional degree of approximately six years in duration, which grants a
licenciatura and formally qualifies graduates to practice as engineers. Degrees such as Civil Industrial Engineering or Civil
selected program over the years. This trend may reflect both the cross disciplinary character commonly
attributed to the field and the influence of early exposure provided by the initiatives described. Other
programs that show sustained interest include Civil Engineering, Civil Chemical Engineering, and
the Common Plan in Civil Engineering. In contrast, computing related areas such as Civil Computer
Engineering and Informatics Engineering show lower and more variable participation, suggesting
ongoing challenges in attracting young women to these fields. These results highlight the importance
of maintaining targeted eforts to strengthen girls’ and adolescents’ engagement with computing and
digital technologies. The evaluation results for the 2024 edition of the Yo Quiero Ser Ingeniera program
show consistently high levels of participant satisfaction across all evaluated areas, see Figure 3. The
Computer Engineering are independent disciplines, not subfields of traditional civil engineering.
perceived expertise of instructors received the highest average score (6.88), followed by the overall
quality of instruction and clarity of content delivery. The workshops and logistical aspects such as
instructions and event organization were also highly rated, indicating a well structured and meaningful
experience. Notably, the strong score for willingness to recommend the program (6.61) reflects a deep
sense of appreciation and value among participants. These findings highlight the 2024 version’s success
in fostering a positive and empowering STEM learning environment for young women. The program
will be renewed for the year 2025 with a new implementation format. The proposal contemplates
working with focused groups of 20 students per cycle, developing a cohort during the first semester of
the year and another during the summer season. The program will continue to focus on fourth grade
students, but does not exclude the participation of third grade students who demonstrate motivation
and interest in the program. Although there is not yet suficient data to establish trends, a key indicator
is the number of participants entering STEM careers. It is hoped that a longitudinal follow-up will be
implemented in the future to assess their efective engagement with these areas.</p>
    </sec>
    <sec id="sec-5">
      <title>4. CAMVIT STEM Camp: building scientific identity and sense of belonging from the territory.</title>
      <p>Over the course of two editions held in January and December 2024, the CAMVIT STEM Camp [22] has
become a distinctive and innovative educational experience aimed at reducing gender gaps in science
and technology through experiential learning, early university engagement, and the strengthening
of school communities. Organized by the Center for Mathematical Support and Early Engagement
(CAMVIT) of the Universidad de La Frontera (UFRO), the camp is designed for high school girls and
their science or mathematics teachers from various communes in southern Chile. The initiative places
particular emphasis on working with rural and underrepresented areas in the Region of La Araucanía
and its surroundings, where structural educational inequalities and the absence of female role models
have a direct impact on the vocational aspirations of adolescent girls.</p>
      <p>The first edition of the camp brought together 36 students and 10 teachers from 10 diferent
municipalities in the region, while the second involved 40 students and 10 teachers from 6 municipalities in
Araucanía and 2 in neighboring regions. Both editions featured the active participation of faculty from
ifve academic departments at UFRO, as well as university students from gender focused STEM groups
such as NUMIC, WIE, and MIngTech, who acted as peer mentors and facilitators.</p>
      <p>The camp was designed with a strong mathematical component by academics from the Department
of Mathematics and Statistics, integrating a playful and collaborative approach. Students and professors
participated in hands-on activities on geometry, logical reasoning, probability, graph theory and problem
solving. These experiences, regularly promoted by CAMVIT, seek to reduce gender gaps in mathematical
learning, detectable as early as elementary school, and to foster confidence in girls and adolescents to
face scientific challenges.</p>
      <p>The intensive three-day camp ofers an interdisciplinary program with workshops in mathematics, 3D
design, robot programming, optics, probability, applied physics and emerging technologies (see Figure
4). The sessions are led by academics and instructors from careers such as Common Plan Engineering,
Computer Science, Physics and Mathematics (see Figure 5), promoting active learning and teamwork.
The Department of Education also ofers spaces for accompanying teachers, focused on innovative
methodologies and inter-municipal pedagogical networks (see Figure 6). The Math Fair stands out as
one of the most valued activities, with exploration stations where students face practical challenges
and re-signify school knowledge from a participatory and close experience.</p>
      <p>Notably, the initiative is sustained entirely through the voluntary commitment of faculty members,
students, and collaborating departments. Funding is obtained through internal eforts led by CAMVIT
to cover food, lodging, and basic supplies, while all teaching, material preparation, and logistical
coordination are carried out without monetary compensation. This model reflects a concrete institutional
commitment to gender equity and meaningful community engagement.</p>
      <p>Beyond its educational impact, the camp has functioned as a space for institutional articulation and
strengthening of the university–school relationship, which is especially relevant in contexts marked
by geographic dispersion. Collaboration with municipal and subsidized high schools from various
municipalities has made it possible to identify concrete educational needs, build trust among educational
actors, and move toward a shared construction of knowledge, see Figure 8. In this sense, the sustained
participation of high school teachers not only as companions but also as active learners in their own
right has been one of the distinguishing features of the CAMVIT model.</p>
      <p>Furthermore, the integration of university student groups with a gender perspective has enriched the
experience through an intergenerational component that fosters identification, empathy, and community
building. Peer mentors not only share technical knowledge but also life stories, strategies of resistance,
and valuable lessons that enable adolescent girls to envision themselves in traditionally male dominated
careers. This collaboration between faculty, students, and teachers forms a support network that extends
beyond the event itself and lays the groundwork for ongoing mentoring.</p>
      <p>The camp’s educational approach also deserves special mention. Unlike programs focused solely on
promoting or showcasing careers, CAMVIT ofers an immersive experience that combines mathematical
reasoning, experimentation, creativity, and the resolution of real world problems. Activities are designed
to challenge gender stereotypes associated with logic, abstraction, or technology, and foster active
learning where error, collaboration, and curiosity are central. This experiential pedagogy with a gender
perspective is key to cultivating informed and sustainable STEM vocations.</p>
      <p>The integration of informatics and computer science is a relevant component of the CAMVIT STEM
Camp, ofering high school students an educational experience in these areas. Considering the gender
gap that persists in technological disciplines, the camp includes hands on workshops that allow
participants to explore basic notions of programming, robotics, algorithmic thinking and 3D modeling.
These sessions are led by academics from the Computer Engineering area of Universidad de La Frontera,
who provide not only technical knowledge, but also pedagogical strategies aimed at inclusive learning,
showing the importance and role of women in STEM Technology. Together with them, university
students members of groups with a gender focus in computing such as MIngTech and WIE act as peer
mentors, sharing with the teenagers their academic trajectories, personal experiences and challenges
experienced in their training process as women specifically in computer science careers.</p>
      <p>This component of the camp challenges traditional stereotypes that associate computer science with
masculine logic or solitary work. On the contrary, it promotes a collaborative, creative and socially
meaningful vision of the use of technology. Female students are encouraged to see computing and
informatics not only as a set of technical skills, but as a tool for expression, innovation and empowerment.</p>
      <p>Furthermore, by placing technologies in an interdisciplinary and gender sensitive context, Camp
CAMVIT demonstrates how early and positive exposure can strengthen a sense of belonging and agency
in girls who might not otherwise consider this area as a possible option. This approach aligns with
international recommendations that promote female participation in computing through contextualized,
community based interventions.</p>
      <p>The comparative bar chart reveals a consistently high level of positive responses across both editions
of the STEM Camp, particularly regarding lodging satisfaction and willingness to recommend the
experience to others, see Figure 7. Notably, the 2024 cohort showed a significant increase in understanding
the concept of STEM and reported greater interest in pursuing STEM areas after the camp. However,
satisfaction with the workshops decreased compared to 2023, which may point to difering expectations,
content delivery, or thematic alignment. Despite this, the upward trend in motivation and program
continuity interest suggests a strong perceived impact among participants. In future versions, systematic
monitoring is planned to measure sustained interest in STEM. As an initial approach, indicators such as
stated interest at the end of the program and participation in similar activities (quotes from students)
are being considered. Finally, testimonies from participants collected through interviews, journals,
and audiovisual records reflect significant transformations. For many, it was their first time visiting a
university or using scientific equipment under equitable conditions. These experiences not only open
personal and academic horizons but also reafirm the potential of initiatives like this one to generate
long term impact. The information collected was systematized based on workshop records, feedback
forms, and standardized field notes.</p>
    </sec>
    <sec id="sec-6">
      <title>5. Conclusions</title>
      <p>Gender gaps in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics are not a matter of ability but of
conditions: of trajectories limited by stereotypes, of educational spaces that exclude, and of policies that
do not always reach the territories where they are most urgently needed. This article has shown that
it is possible to confront these inequalities from the South, from the community, and from the public
university, with initiatives that not only awaken vocations but also build new ways of belonging to the
scientific world.</p>
      <p>The experiences systematized in this work, Yo Quiero Ser Ingeniera and the STEM CAMVIT Camp, are
not isolated eforts but part of a broader movement that challenges historical structures and expands
the horizons of girls, adolescents, and teachers in rural and underrepresented contexts. By articulating
inclusive pedagogical approaches, intergenerational collaboration, and territorial engagement, these
actions allow us to imagine a future in which science is not neutral, but diverse, situated, and deeply
human. Although both initiatives seek to encourage female participation in STEM, they difer in their
target audience and methodologies. The STEM CAMVIT Camp focuses on sparking scientific vocations
in teenagers through immersive experiences and fun activities, while Yo Quiero Ser Ingeniera aims to
retain and empower female university students through mentoring, workshops, and ongoing support.
This diversity of approaches allows for a complementary approach to addressing gender gaps at diferent
stages of the educational cycle. The students speak out: “I never imagined myself in a laboratory, and
now I don’t want to leave it” (Student, 16 years old, Camp 2024), “After meeting the engineers from
UFRO, I feel that I can be one too” (Student, YQSI 2023 talk).</p>
      <p>
        Faced with an ecosystem of interventions that remains fragmented [
        <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="ref1">1</xref>
        ], these experiences highlight the
power of relational, collective, and transformative strategies. Promoting gender equity in STEM is not
merely an educational or political objective; it is an ethical and urgent task that challenges every level of
the system. From this perspective, the article provides not only evidence but also inspiration to continue
opening new paths, because the data clearly show that targeted, context-aware initiatives can have a
meaningful impact on vocational choices and self perception. However, both experiences show potential
for scalability if they are maintained as permanent programs with core funding. Their sustainability
requires political will and clear governance structures within the university. Both experiences present
elements that can be replicated in other territories, but their long-term sustainability requires political
will, clear governance structures within the university, continuous team training, and secure core
funding. Only within this framework could they be maintained as permanent programs with real
potential for scalability.
      </p>
    </sec>
    <sec id="sec-7">
      <title>Acknowledgments</title>
      <p>The authors wish to thank the "Vicerrectoría de Investigación" from the Universidad de La
Frontera, This initiative was supported by the projects DIUFRO PEG23 0007 and Ines Género I+D+i+e
INGE230011. Jaime Díaz Arancibia is supported by Grant ANID, Chile, FONDECYT DE INICIACIÓN
EN INVESTIGACIÓN, Project Nº 11230141.</p>
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approved by the UFRO Scientific Ethics Committee, resolution ACTA 106 21 of project folio 104/21.
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