Disrupt Tradition and Raise STEAM Ambitious Girls | Emi Takemura | TEDxRoppongi

Emi Takemura challenges the phenomenon of how women remain to be the minority in key STEAM subjects. 42% of students at Japanese universities are women, but there is only 3.4% in mechanical engineering, 13% in physics, and 6.7% in electrical engineering. In the era of AI and robot, having understandings of making things or coding underlined with logics and creativity is ever more important. With more than 1 in 3 couples divorcing, building an independent, professional career for women is a paramount life skill. Emi’s talk dives deep into the changing role models in families and society and the reasons why parents need to encourage young girls to be more curious and pursue higher education in STEAM subjects. As an internet industry veteran, Emi embarked on startup journey since 2010 and co-founded Peatix.com in 2011, a leading community event platform in Japan and Southeast Asia. Emi has led efforts to drive its adoption in Japan and the Southeast Asia region as CMO and Head of Asia. Emi has also co-founded Unreasonable Lab Japan, a hyper-accelerator for social entrepreneurs in Japan since 2015. Emi is currently focused on projects to reimagine education for the 21st century as a co-founder of FutureEdu Tokyo, a member of EdTech Women Japan, and a fellow at Mistletoe KK. Emi also serves as a member of Information and Communications Council. Emi holds a BA in Economics from Keio University, an MBA from the Wharton School, and an MA in International Studies from the University of Pennsylvania. A mother of two digital native children. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at http://ted.com/tedx