Why do so few women work in STEM roles?

Women are underrepresented in a number of different work areas. None more than Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. There is no doubt that the tech industry is becoming increasingly diverse, however there’s still a substantial shortage within the STEM space. 

Why so few women in STEM?

We can attribute many things to the absence of women and girls that are pursuing careers within the STEM industry. But the main thing I want to touch on begins with awareness in the first place. 

Whether we want to believe it or not, there is a lack of awareness shown to girls in school and the encouragement to study STEM further at university is somewhat minimal. It’s almost always been a male dominated area of study. But there are also some stereotypes that can deter young women from pursuing STEM related subjects at school. 

As most of you are aware - I live in Switzerland. I once heard a Father and colleague speaking at work. They were talking about how his daughter was struggling in mathematics and the Dad wanted to find help in whatever way that he could. When he asked the teacher, her response was mind boggling. She said - “What does it matter if she learns mathematics, she’s a girl”. Traditionally, in Switzerland girls stay home. A new "modern society" has just given women the right to vote. And this came into play in 1990. 

Some stereotypes may label people who work in STEM as nerdy or socially awkward or bookworm. Through these stereotypes, negative intellectual thoughts ensue about those who are interested in what society classifies as a “nerdy” career path.

So in conclusion - in order to start closing the gender gap in STEM careers, organisations need to focus on girls in STEM from an early age and build awareness from the start. Eliminate stereotypes and lead the next generation of girls to what a pivotal and inspirational line of study STEM is. 

Are women underrepresented in stem?

As humans, we are data people. We love crunching the numbers and analysing what we classify as interesting information. That information can then be open to interpretation. And on the topic of gender specific STEM data, the numbers don’t lie. 

There is a noticeable gap between girls and boys that study STEM subjects at the university level. 82% of boys study STEM related subjects and just 35% of girls study STEM. Graduates in STEM subjects who are women are 25% and 52% are males. 

Most girls have it in their head, particularly at high school level, because there is a stigma that STEM subjects not just ARE male dominated, but SHOULD be male dominated. Because they haven’t been told anything else. Knowing that your class is going to be full of boys can be off-putting for girls, especially throughout those tough, teenage years.

It has been shown that more boys are attracted to a STEM career compared to girls who are more attracted to HEED (Health, Primary Education, Domestic). These subjects pursue a career in health, primary education and domestic care and the majority of girls get job satisfaction out of helping people rather than taking subjects revolving around the sciences. Purely because of what society tells them. Who knows - there may be the next great mind in engineering just around the corner, but that girl will never fulfil or unlock her potential because she believes that the job should be done by a male. 

This all begs the question. 

How do we get more women in STEM?

You better believe there is a solution! It all comes down to awareness, in particular, awareness from an earlier age. Awareness of how STEM subjects can give them an opportunity which still lies within their interests. This is the quickest, most accessible way to bridge the gender gap.

Most girls aren’t told how studying a STEM related subject can help them in a career which gives them the job satisfaction they are looking for. But if only they knew the satisfaction STEM field careers can give. That’s the gap we are needing to bridge. 

Another way that we can bridge the gap is to have more visible female role models in STEM around to encourage and inspire. My last blog post outlined the significance that so many incredible women in STEM have had. A lot of those women are long passed but there are so many new women that are proving to have such an influential impact on society, that we now need that impact to resonate with the next generation of young women.

If girls in secondary school were to see more females succeeding in STEM careers as a whole, then it would empower them to take STEM subjects from an earlier age and potentially pursue a career in the related fields. Giving girls real-life examples of women in STEM would also help them to model themselves after those successful women. 

There is a platform that connects academic with non-academic audiences called Speakezee. They have partnered up with the girl’s school association to send female STEM graduates to schools to talk to and inspire girls to study a STEM subject and consider pursuing a career within those fields. 

Young girls need role models that they can relate to, inspire them and not to abandon their STEM potential.

Which leads to another issue within the topic that needs to be addressed. 

Sexism in STEM departments 

Although the gender gap can majorly be attributed to lack of awareness and male dominance, we must also talk about the sexism that women constantly deal with, particularly within this field.

Sexism is a critical issue in STEM degree programs in universities around the world. The sexism that women can face from professors during college years can push them away from STEM majors, and will thereby keep them out of STEM professions in the future. And this needs to stop.

The stereotypes of women having less natural talent than men in STEM fields is simply untrue but remains a constant issue in today's educational society.

Research has shown that young women perform just as well as young men in these fields. Boys and girls are fairly equal in terms of the actual skills; gender doesn't seem to make a difference. But because of stereotypes and sexism, many women don’t pursue these paths, opting instead for a major that provides less hassle and issues. 

Women and men around the country and around the world are working to end sexual harassment. It’s a movement that’s been a constant for many years. Sexual harassment comes in a variety of forms and the underlying sexism that results from women being discouraged in STEM related subjects needs to be mended, as soon as possible. 

Political movements, legislation, and an end of tolerance for inappropriate behaviour as a whole are all ways that sexism is being exposed and taken down. Universities and workplaces can work to fight sexism by acting quickly and fairly for any reports of sexism, and showing that it will not be tolerated. The patterns of the past can be changed. And it will be changed.

As organisations and individuals come together to fight sexism, especially in STEM fields, everyone will benefit. With more diversity and inclusion in STEM fields, new discoveries and possibilities can be unlocked that will help society as a whole. 

Hopefully soon, there won’t be a question about why there are so few women in STEM. Instead, women will just be searching for jobs, doing research, making discoveries, and feeling excited about their career and their future. All within STEM. This future excites me above all else. 

In conclusion, women are currently few and far between in the world of STEM. Fortunately we have the ability to bridge that gap. Through increased exposure, STEM women role models and early awareness to the subject, women can realise their potential within STEM. We have an innate ability to adapt to difficult surroundings and circumstances which is why I know, as difficult as it may appear, we can conquer this gender divide within STEM.