If you were asked to picture a scientist in your mind, what would you see? You are not alone if you envision an older, bespectacled male with graying, disheveled hair in a lab coat. Though women are 48% of the general workforce, they represent only 27% of the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) workforce. This is a statistic I have encountered on an almost daily basis as a Program Outreach Fellow for Jewels Academy, a nonprofit organization which provides STEM-enrichment programs for underrepresented young women in 4th through 12th grades. Why do so few women pursue education and careers in STEM? What kind of initiatives will encourage more girls to pursue STEM-related occupations?
Everyone wins if more women enter STEM occupations, and everyone can play a part in changing current trends.
Microsoft surveyed over 6,000 young women from ages 10-30 examining their attitudes towards careers in STEM. Their findings revealed that young women have a hard time envisioning themselves in STEM careers due to lack of female STEM role models, cultural stereotypes which portray STEM professions as male-oriented, and the perception that STEM occupations lack creativity or the power to have a positive impact on the world. The survey found that girls are often discouraged from pursuing STEM interests by parents and teachers who feel these careers are better suited for boys. Despite comparable math scores, girls in the study were also chosen far less than boys for advanced placement courses. As a result, the young women surveyed underestimated their abilities in math and science and as early as second grade identified with the belief that they were “bad at math.”
Educators have a responsibility to change this narrative by displaying images of positive female STEM role models in their classrooms, reducing bias in schools, and instilling confidence in young girls to engage in math and science. Scientists and engineers design solutions to societal issues that shape our future, we will all benefit from the female perspective in this endeavor. Everyone wins if more women enter STEM occupations, and everyone can play a part in changing current trends.
In movies and TV shows scientists are frequently depicted as socially awkward men. But what if the scientists on TV were women who were known for objectivity, confidence, and brilliance? Meet Dr. Dana Scully. From 1993 to 2002 on The X-Files, Gillian Anderson played Dr. Scully, the first female STEM character in a leading role on prime-time television. The Geena Davis Institute on Gender and Media conducted systematic research on what has been called the “Scully Effect” a long-held theory that this TV show inspired a generation of women to pursue careers in STEM. Survey respondents who identified as regular viewers of the show had greater confidence in their ability to succeed in a male-dominated field and roughly half of those who identified as a regular viewer studied STEM in college or currently worked in STEM.
Scholars believe the most effective ways of increasing the number of women in STEM is to promote positive female role models, work to reduce bias, and to provide STEM enrichment opportunities outside of the classroom to bolster the confidence and skills of girls in elementary and middle school - before negative attitudes regarding their abilities become irreversible. At Jewels Academy they do just this by providing STEM-enrichment activities for girls beginning in the 4th grade. Through hands-on activities girls are given the opportunity to explore advanced math and science concepts, are exposed to positive role models, and gain the confidence they need to picture themselves when they are asked to envision a scientist. Just one way to bridge the gap, but give a girl a chance, and she can figure out the rest.
Referenced Sources:
https://query.prod.cms.rt.microsoft.com/cms/api/am/binary/RE1UMWz
https://seejane.org/wp-content/uploads/x-files-scully-effect-report-geena-davis-institute.pdf