Although women are closing the gender gap in Internet use, the number of women pursuing careers in technology still lags behind that of men.

This year's Women in Technology International conference has taken notice, with organizers hoping that new programs will appeal to a younger crowd.

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The annual three-day Silicon Valley Technology Summit begins Tuesday in Santa Clara, California. Leaders and entrepreneurs in science, technology, and business will meet for seminars, discussions, and networking, all in an effort to boost women into these careers.

This year's organizers took a cue from last year's conference, where Cisco's CTO Judy Estrin emphasized that "It's up to all of us to expose girls to the sciences as well as the corporations to set role models."

Encouraging girls at a young age is key, organizers said.

"We were a little startled by information that came out regarding the rate that young girls are selecting careers in education and technology," said Denise Ryan, president and chief visionary officer for strategic marketing firm BluMarble and advisory board member for WITI. "It's very low relative to demand."

According to recent reports, young girls are not perceiving technology careers accurately. "They view it as 'lonely and boring,'" Ryan said. "We want to dispel that perception. That's why we want to show women succeeding in businesses."

WITI will host its first college scholarship reception Monday evening, giving female college students an opportunity to network with top women executives from technology firms and apply for foundation scholarships.

"With the scholarships, we're hoping to bring more women students into the technology field," said WITI spokeswoman Jennifer Sauler.

On Wednesday, organizers are expected to formally announce the first WITI tech incubator at Smith College, a program to support young women in technology through mentorships and other outreach efforts.

Attendees are encouraged to bring their daughters to an all-day event on Tuesday, where they can interact with role models through chat sessions, mentoring roundtables, and hands-on science activities.