Girls believe they can be as good as boys but only half feel they are good at maths ‘sometimes’
Life
Pictured: Dr Norah Patten and Dr Shawna Pandya with pupils from St. Canice’s Girls’ School, Finglas, Dublin
Ireland’s first astronaut, Dr. Norah Patten, and the first named female commercial Canadian astronaut, Dr. Shawna Pandya joined with educational programme I Wish today to launch a major nationwide push to build girls’ confidence in learning science, technology, engineering and maths, at a time when nearly half of young girls say they only feel good at maths ‘sometimes’.
The event at St. Canice’s Girls’ School, Finglas, marked the official launch of the I Wish Primary Programme powered by Logitech, which has been successfully piloted over the last two years. The special event featured Dr. Norah Patten and Dr. Shawna Pandya, who shared their journeys in STEM and space exploration.
Now in its third year, the I Wish Primary Programme has helped primary school students explore the world of STEM through school visits, alumni talks, and hands-on experiments. In 2025, participation grew by 38%, reaching 265 students. Research from I Wish highlights the critical importance of early intervention in shaping girls’ confidence and motivation in STEM. Findings show that while 95% of girls believe they can be just as good as boys in STEM, nearly half (49%) only feel good at maths “sometimes,” and 17% were not confident in STEM.
Caroline O’Driscoll, Co-Founder of I Wish, said: “We see a real disconnect where girls are curious, ambitious and eager to explore but too often, they lose confidence in subjects like maths before they reach secondary school. That’s why primary-level engagement and visible female role models are essential.”
This partnership with Logitech will expand the programme’s reach, supporting schools in delivering practical, inspiring, and confidence-building STEM experiences for girls across Ireland.
Dr. Patten is set to become Ireland’s first astronaut, and Dr. Pandya, a Canadian physician and research astronaut will fly with Virgin Galactic’s Delta class spacecraft as early as 2026.
Dr. Patten said: “I have long been a supporter of the incredible work I Wish is doing to inspire girls in STEM. My interest in space began when I was 11 years of age and that sparked a lifelong love of exploration. The girls in these classrooms today are the next generation of scientists, engineers and innovators and my message to them is: the sky is no longer the limit.”
TechCentral Reporters