“I Think I Want to Become One”: How a Summer Camp in Malmö Is Changing Girls’ Minds About STEM
by Ariunzaya Munkhbat
For a group of 14- and 15-year-old girls, the week of June 13–19, 2025, began with uncertainty and ended with a clear path forward. At Bladins International School of Malmö, the STREAM IT Summer Camp set out to prove a powerful message: careers in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) aren’t just for others but they are for them, too. By the end of five days of workshops, mentorship, and hands-on projects, the outcomes confirmed the camp’s success in achieving its mission.
LEARNING BY DOING
Day 1: The camp began with a robotics workshop led by SisTech Lab. Participants learned the basics of soldering and programming while creating their own electronic pets, “tamagotchi”. This first hands-on experience encouraged them to experiment, troubleshoot and work through mistakes which are important steps in building technical confidence.
Day 2: Cybersecurity took centre stage with an OWASP Stockholm-led workshop on cyber threats and ethical hacking through Capture the Flag exercises. Then, guest speakers from BorgWarner, Accenture, and Axis Communications then shared insights on careers in engineering, cybersecurity, and software development.
Day 3: Participants visited Neo4j Sweden AB to see programming and data technologies in action, meeting female developers and touring the workplace. A Big Science Sweden career pathways workshop followed, illustrating how STEM spans diverse roles across science, engineering, technology, research, communication, and leadership.
Day 4: The focus shifted to collaborative innovation and scientific discovery. Morning team projects tackled global challenges with the STREAM IT Ambassador, while an afternoon tour of the MAX IV Laboratory offered an exclusive look at cutting-edge international research and the professionals behind it.
Day 5: The week concluded with teams presenting final projects, demonstrating their new technical skills, problem-solving abilities, and public speaking confidence, receiving certificates at the closing ceremony.
FROM “MAYBE” TO “DEFINITELY”
Before the camp, only one of the nine participants said she was certain she wanted a career in STEM. The rest were somewhere between curious and unsure, but without the confidence or clarity to picture themselves actually working in the field (See Table 1). That changed fast. By the final day, nearly every participant reported a stronger pull toward STEM, with the majority now identifying as likely or very likely to pursue it as a career. It is a profound shift to achieve in just one week, proving that genuine exposure, real mentors, and hands-on work make all the difference.
The results also show that the programme supported participants with different starting points. Some arrived already highly interested in STEM, while others had limited prior knowledge or experience. By the end of the camp, every participant reported increased knowledge of STEM careers, and all reported greater confidence in pursuing STEM education or a career.
Table 1: Pre- and Post-Camp Survey Outcomes
THE POWER OF SEEING SOMEONE LIKE YOU
When asked what mattered most during the summer camp, the participants’ answers consistently pointed away from textbooks and toward something far more powerful: human connection. Seven out of eight participants described the role models and mentors they met as “very helpful” or “extremely helpful,” crediting them with transforming STEM from an abstract school subject into an accessible, vibrant reality.
Table 2: Qualitative Participant Feedback
OUR VISION FOR REPLICATION
The Summer Camp met or exceeded every participant’s expectations. In their reflections, several girls admitted that STEM used to feel like “something not for people like me.” By the end of the week, that narrative had entirely flipped. They didn’t just learn what STEM careers look like in theory. They finally saw themselves in them.
That is the power of immersive, hands-on access to STEM: genuine interest and lasting confidence, built in just one week. That is why Wonderfund AB is now adapting the Summer Camp format for schools and municipalities ready to bring this impact to their own students.
Whether that means an intensive holiday camp, a weekly after-school innovation club, or modular weekend workshops, our toolkits are tested and ready to deploy. Together, we can give the next generation of girls the skills, confidence, and role models they need to shape the future of science and technology.
Funded by the European Union.
101131843 — STREAM IT — HORIZON-WIDERA-2023-ERA-01
Streaming Girls and Women into STEAM Education, Innovation and Research.