For decades, SLB has invested in empowering young women through science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education programs that overcome socio-economic barriers. Ella Es Astronauta por SLB (She Is an Astronaut by SLB), organized in collaboration with the She Is Foundation, is one such program nurturing the female STEM leaders of the future.

This year, a total of 24 girls from Colombia, Ecuador and Peru took part in the program. Ranging from 11 to 16 years old, these young women from underserved communities engaged in virtual and in-person STEM learning over four months. At the end of the program, the girls traveled to Houston and spent a week at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Space Center Houston as well as visited the SLB technology center where they explored cutting-edge technologies first-hand.

Ruth Zambrano, managing director, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru at SLB notes, “With Ella Es Astronauta por SLB, we want to inspire girls, some of them from very remote places in our countries, to be involved in STEM so that they become inspiring leaders. This program aims at opening their minds to new ideas and projects, showing them dreams can be fulfilled with hard work and dedication. Ella Es Astronauta por SLB equips these future leaders with the knowledge they need to leave a lasting positive impact in our countries.”

While at the NASA facility, participants enjoyed a behind-the-scenes look at mission control rooms and astronaut training areas and were impressed by the range of collaborative research projects run in conjunction with NASA’s many international and domestic partners.

“It is one thing to support this project in collaboration with the She Is Foundation and NASA, but it is another to meet the 24 participants and witness their curiosity, imagination, and desire to improve lives in their communities. Over the last four months they learned how to break barriers to become future scientists, engineers, and STEM ambassadors that will shape the future of their communities. We’re proud of our Ella Es Astronauta participants and look forward to seeing them reach for the stars with their feet on the ground,” says Igor Markov, director sustainability- social, SLB.

The Ella Es Astronauta por SLB program opens doors, inspiring young women to become innovators, scientists and engineers. Their STEM training along with the NASA Space Center experience and SLB facility visits is more than just a program; it’s a launchpad for their dreams.

Learn more about the She Is an Astronaut program here and about SLB educational initiatives in the company’s sustainability report.