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This Weekend's GeekGirlCon Aims to Attract Girls to STEM Careers

This weekened, Seattle's Convention Center is getting overrun by thousands of women and girls gathered for the annualGeekGirlCon event. But the convention is not just about gaming.

Raychelle Burks, a research scientist and post doctoral fellow in chemistry, is running the DIY Science Zone. It's a place where you can meet scientists, get your hands dirty and make slime.

The Science Zone is a first for GeekGirlCon. Its rationale: to help inspire more girls to consider STEM—science, technology, engineering and math—careers. 

"There’s a leaky pipeline for women in the STEM fields, and we’re trying to get more diversity," Burks said.

Women account for about half of all jobs in the U.S., but only a quarter of STEM jobs.

This weekend's GeekGirlCon is the third annual event, and is expected to draw 6,000 people.