Female trailblazers in STEM get their own Barbie dolls

The full lineup of women being honored with one-of-a-kind Barbie dolls made in their likeness. (Photo credit: Mattel via Business Wire) EL SEGUNDO, Calif. - On International Women’s Day, Barbie is honoring several notable leaders in the STEM field with one-of-a-kind dolls made in their likeness – including the longtime CEO of YouTube and the co-founder and CEO of genetic testing company 23andMe.Careers in STEM, an acronym for science, technology, engineering, and math, have increased in recent decades and make up nearly half of the U.S.

workforce, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. But women are still vastly underrepresented in these fields and only represented 27% of STEM workers as of 2019.RELATED: Women's History Month 2023 celebrates ‘women who tell our stories’Mattel, which announced the launch of the new lineup of seven dolls this week, noted how "seeing is believing" and that access to successful female role models in STEM "is essential for children to build and maintain an interest in the industry.""Barbie is dedicated to showcasing women who are role models from all backgrounds, professions, and nationalities so that girls around the world can see themselves in careers that might not always seem as accessible," Lisa McKnight, Mattel’s executive vice president and global head of Barbie & dolls, said in a statement.

Among the lineup of new STEM role models include three sisters from the United States – Susan, Anne, and Janet Wojcicki. Susan was the longtime CEO of YouTube, Anne is an entrepreneur who co-founded and serves as CEO of 23andMe, while Janet is a professor of pediatrics and epidemiology at the University of California San Francisco.Other women being honored with one-of-a-kind Barbie dolls made in.