Closing the Gender Gap in STEM
Closing the gender gap in STEM education has been a pressing issue for decades, with universities experimenting different ways to empower more women in STEM education. In the past, women have been significantly underrepresented in STEM fields, posing issues for diverse and balanced workforces, although these fields have been focusing on reaching their sustainable development goals, including gender equality. A study conducted by MIT explains that increased gender diversity can result in improved research outcomes and diverse perspectives. By empowering women to participate in science, gender equality in the STEM fields will become prominent and can lead to more contribution in research and innovations by female workers in this area.
The demand for STEM workers has been increasing, leading to the growth of STEM students in colleges and universities nationwide. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment in the science, technology, engineering, and math occupations has grown 79 percent in the past three decades.
Due to this, industries believe that having a well-balanced workforce allows for the vast interpretation of ideas and further technological advancements. However, they also believe that in order to achieve a well-balanced workforce, more female representation in the STEM fields is needed. In a study conducted by the US Census Bureau, women make up 57 percent of college graduates, but only 14.8 percent of them become engineers. Although progress has been seen in minimizing the gender gap, the representation of females in STEM fields hasn’t significantly changed.
Many factors contribute to the gender gap in STEM. One such factor specifically targets students pursuing higher education; the lack of female teachers in STEM-related subjects. According to the National Science Foundation (NSF), in 2019, only 30 percent of full-time professors teaching computer science and engineering were women. Having a small population of female STEM teachers can affect the experience of possible female STEM students, resulting in the current gender gap. Less female participation can lead to less female role models for girls, potentially hindering their efforts to pursue STEM-related careers. Another factor to consider is gender norms and stereotypes concerning women in STEM. Gender biases such as women not having the personality traits and characteristics needed to become successful scientists (Carli, 2016) has been instilled in young girls as early as kindergarten (Cimpian, 2016).
Studies conducted by Cimpian JR and Carli LL prove that gender stereotypes are brought to the attention of girls early and impact their interests.
As the importance of cultivating new interests in STEM for female students grows, efforts to close the gender gap also grows. An effort made by initiatives and organizations in the US introduced STEM education to girls in the K-12 stage. Studies show that this stage is an important period for young students to develop interests in possible careers and take part in programs allowing them to gain new experiences. However, schools in the US have been falling behind in their K-12 STEM education. Based on data from the National Science Board in 2022, the average scores for math and science in the United States is dropping every year and is outranked by many other countries. Although the US has been increasing in terms of points between 2003 and 2018, other countries have improved by greater amounts.
The graph shows the United States’s rank based on their average math scores of 15 year-old students on the PISA Test.
Putting more focus on making progress with STEM education can encourage more students’ interests in STEM subjects, especially female students.
In the end, making efforts to support and encourage women to pursue careers in STEM can lead to more advancements in the US, including economic growth and higher productivity. Studies have shown that increasing gender diversity in workforces can positively impact profitability and participation, while also leading girls in future generations with more female mentors, therefore encouraging them to study in STEM-related fields. Finally, from a global perspective, achieving gender equality in the fastest growing industry will promote equal opportunities and a sustainable future.
Works Cited
Choi, Margaret. “Is the U.S. Falling behind in STEM Education?” CodeWizardsHQ, 13 May 2023, www.codewizardshq.com/us-behind-in-stem-education/.
“Closing the Gender Gap in STEM.” Unesdoc.Unesco.Org, unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000245717. Accessed 17 July 2023.
“The Gender Gap in Stem.” MIT Professional Education, 12 July 2023, professionalprograms.mit.edu/blog/leadership/the-gender-gap-in-stem/.
“The Importance of Closing the Gender Gap in Stem.” All Together, 6 May 2021, alltogether.swe.org/article_archive/2016/08/closing-the-gender-gap-in-stem/.
McKinnon, Merryn, and Christine O’Connell. “Perceptions of Stereotypes Applied to Women Who Publicly Communicate Their Stem Work.” Nature News, 25 Nov. 2020, www.nature.com/articles/s41599-020-00654-0.
Neuhauser, Alan. “Stem Solutions.” Stem Index, U.S. News, 17 May 2016, https://www.usnews.com/news/stem-index. Accessed 17 July 2023.
Ombogo, Godfrey. “Women in Science.” International Day of Women and Girls in Science: Kenyan Women and Girls Locked out of Science-Related Fields, Alliance for Science, 10 Feb. 2023, https://allianceforscience.org/blog/2023/02/international-day-of-women-and-girls-in-science-dire-situation-in-kenya-as-women-and-girls-are-locked-out-of-science-related-fields/. Accessed 17 July 2023.
“The U.S. Must Improve K-12 STEM Education for All - NSF.” The U.S. Must Improve K-12 STEM Education for All , www.nsf.gov/nsb/sei/one-pagers/K-12-Indicator-2022.pdf. Accessed 17 July 2023.
