CAHSS Students and Professors Join Forces with Local Filmmakers to Address Gender Disparities in STEM

At the University of Denver, professional development meets purpose-driven storytelling. DU professors and award-winning filmmakers have joined forces with students to create an innovative film series that tackles the persistent underrepresentation of women in STEM fields through the power of comedy, demonstrating the university’s commitment to both hands-on learning and the meaningful creation of media. 

"Womanhood: The Series" brings together filmmakers and women in STEM to create authentic fiction narratives addressing workplace challenges. The project is spearheaded by award-winning filmmaker Jessica McGaugh and Media, Film & Journalism Studies (MFJS) professor Sheila Schroeder. The project emerged from a writers' retreat last August, where seven women in STEM collaborated with five filmmakers to develop five films tackling universal workplace issues such as having a seat at the table, breastfeeding accommodations and avoiding being categorized into service roles. 

"As DEI is under attack right now, we think it's even more important that we address the ongoing disparity of women in STEM," Schroeder said. 

This collaboration required careful navigation between filmmakers and STEM professionals to ensure authentic storytelling. Schroeder noted that their STEM partners "caught on very, very fast" to screenplay fundamentals during the retreat, creating a unified experience around shared workplace challenges. 

Using comedy as a social justice tool presents unique obstacles, but Schroeder emphasized comedy's power to build community: "When we laugh together, we become a community," she said. This specific approach to creating these films welcomed and encouraged conversations that otherwise may be uncomfortable or difficult for participants in the process. 

”Womanhood: The Series” operates under Project DU Film, an initiative where "FILM" stands for Film Initiative Linking Mentors. This program represents DU's commitment to experiential learning by funding projects that pair students with industry professionals in order to build meaningful mentorship relationships. Of the 25 crew members working on Schroeder's episode For All Humankind, 12 were students working alongside professionals, embodying the program's mission to "change the face of filmmaking in front of and behind the camera." One of the mentors and Womanhood collaborators was Roma Sur, a visiting teaching professor in MFJS who is also a DU alumni. Sur will be directing her own Womanhood episode in 2026. 

DU senior Abby Gardner, a communication and film studies and production major who served as co-producer, led the casting process and location scouting while gaining invaluable real-world experience.  

"It was the most perfect form of being a mentee under Sheila and learning so much about the creative process," Gardner said. "My favorite part of the experience was probably the casting process — seeing those characters start to come to life and watching the film go from the script to the first few drafts of the actual film." 

The series will include curriculum guides for use in corporate training, educational settings and nonprofit organizations. Four additional films are in various stages of production, with the complete series targeting film festivals focused on women, STEM and comedy. For students like Gardner, the mentorship component proves invaluable. 

"I'm so grateful that I got to work with such talented, passionate people that are so good at what they do and love what they do but also are willing to share it and teach people along the way," said Gardner. "And that's kind of how we all continue to learn and grow and what makes this industry what it is." 

Season 2 of “Womanhood: The Series” addresses the current "brain drain" in STEM fields, as federal funding decreases and workforce retention becomes critical. The team believes their innovative approach of using narrative comedy films for workplace training represents a cutting-edge solution to help organizations retain diverse talent. 

"To our knowledge, nothing like this has ever been done," Schroeder said. " If we can help corporations, nonprofits, educators feel more of a part of the world of STEM, maybe we can make a small difference in that. " 

For more information on DU Film and their ongoing projects visit liberalarts.du.edu/media-film-journalism/research-discovery/project-du-film.