#IfThenSheCan – The Exhibit

NorthPark Center, 8687 N. Central Expressway, Dallas, northparkcenter.com/events

We weren’t too surprised, sadly, to learn that less than 30 percent of the workforce in the fields of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) is female. But we were stunned to learn that, according to a study done in 2016, there are very few public statues of women in major U.S. cities. The organizers of “If/Then” wondered: Could there be a correlation? Because, they thought, if she can see it, then she can be it. We are impressed — and your kids will be, too — by the striking exhibit that resulted from such musing. “If/Then” features more than 120 statues of women, each of whom is a STEM innovator. These ambassadors for the American Association for the Advancement of Science traveled to Dallas for individual full-body scans at the Perot Museum of Nature and Science to create life-size likenesses made of acrylic gel using a 3D printer. The exhibit features interactive elements, too, including audio and video of each woman and QR codes linking to more information about their careers. From space flight engineers and shark researchers to roboticists, ocean explorers and game developers, the paths each woman pursued are as varied as their ages and backgrounds. Before you go, visit ifthenexhibit.org to print out a scavenger hunt. Walk among the statues at CenterPark Garden, between entrances to Macy’s and Nordstrom, and see all 14 of the Texans represented inside on level one of NorthPark, near Zara. Through Oct. 24