A Woman in STEM? Yes She Can!
In the last century, there have been numerous achievements that have contributed to the progression of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. In 1952, the medical researcher Jonas Salk discovered the first polio vaccine. In 1989, the World Wide Web was invented by Tim Berners-Lee. In 1939, Igor Sikorsky built one of the first functional helicopters. In 1761, Johann Heinrich Lambert proved that π is irrational and it cannot be expressed as a fraction. These are just few of the many discoveries that have been made throughout history. But what do all of these contributors have in common? Well the obvious answer is that they are all male! Why is that so? Despite the achievements made by men, there have been many contributions made by women. In 1903, Marie Curie became the first woman to win the Nobel Prize for her work with radiation. In 1983, Sally Ride became the first American woman to fly into space. In 1951, Rosalind Franklin became known for her role in the discovery of the structure of DNA and her use of X-ray diffraction. These women who have broken down obstacles serve as role models for many young women. But why do young women, especially in college, tend to skew away from the STEM fields? Women have been underrepresented in these fields for a variety of reasons.
Stereotypes, gender bias, and lack of encouragement factors into the gender gap and makes women feel more oppressed. Stereotypes can leave a serious barrier for women and can be one of the main reasons why women don’t pursue a career in STEM. Some women may feel discrimination, outnumbered, and unqualified. They feel that they lack the necessary qualities to be a scientist. Some feel that men are more independent, assertive, and serious because we have seen so many great scientists, like Albert Einstein, Isaac Newton, and Charles Darwin. With this overall trend of white male scientists, society has seen the STEM fields as predominantly masculine. Women are often told that science isn’t feminine enough, it’s only a man’s job. These are just a few of the many stereotypes that women face.
In the classroom, girls, for the most part, don’t get as much attention as the boys.
Women also feel unmotivated because there is a lack of encouragement from parents, teachers, and peers. When a woman gets a bad grade on an exam, some automatically drop out of their STEM major and go to something “easier”. They feel discouraged because they think they are not smart enough and they don’t think they have what it takes. In the classroom, girls, for the most part, don’t get as much attention as the boys. For example, in an engineering course, there usually is significantly less girls than boys. This could make them feel dominated, uncomfortable, and neglected. At UConn, there are programs that encourage young girls and expose them to STEM fields. In the School of Engineering, there is a program called Multiply Your Options (MYO), which is a one-day event that exposes 8th grade girls to strong females majoring in the field of STEM. This early exposure gives the young girls more options for future career goals (http://edoc.engr.uconn.edu/myo/). Another program is the Women in STEM mentoring program, which pairs up upperclassmen and underclassmen women in STEM. Mentors and mentees are matched based on similar majors, career interest, and goals. UConn also has the learning community, WiMSE, which supports female undergraduates in STEM majors. This group offers networking, study groups, and overall women empowerment. So what can we do for the future to continue this support group and get girls interested in STEM? We, as women, can continue to spread the achievements from other women in math and science. We can teach girls intellectual and social skills, self-confidence, and the threat of stereotypes. We can create programs that center and promote growth and learning. We can continue to encourage high school girls to challenge themselves with more demanding courses like calculus, physics, chemistry, and computer science.
“Women from diverse backgrounds often experience micro-aggressions based on gender and race...”
At the moment, research about this matter is being conducted here at UConn. This research is funded by the University of Connecticut’s support of the Collaborative through Equity in Research on Women and Girls of Color through a White House Initiative. Monique Negron, Assistant Director of Academic Support, along with Dr. Renee Gilbert, McNair Program Coordinator, is putting their focus on Women in STEM and the experiences that they face. Monique explains that their research “investigates the key factors that contribute to the resiliency of women of Color (aka women from diverse backgrounds, women across the Latina, African or Asian diaspora) in pursuit of STEM degrees. Women from diverse backgrounds often experience micro-aggressions based on gender and race in classrooms composed predominately of Caucasian and male classmates. Moreover, they feel overlooked and unsupported in their educational pursuits of STEM degrees. Subsequently, the students may try to persevere with little direction, or decide to switch to a non-STEM major. By hearing from women who continue to pursue a STEM degree despite experiencing a negative outcome, we are sharing a counter-narrative and offering insight into their lived experiences.”
Pictured above: Monique Negron, Assistant Director of Academic Support
When asked about the progression of Women in STEM fields and at UConn, Monique replies “STEM-focused schools are popping up all across the county. Data from the Women’s Persistence in STEM committee shows that women are underrepresented in STEM fields. The 2010 freshman class was comprised of 332 women majoring in STEM fields, of which only 66 self-identified as underrepresented women (also referred to as women of color, women from diverse backgrounds). As the Assistant Director of the Academic Achievement Center, I facilitate many one-on- one academic counseling sessions. I notice that women in STEM, like many students, have challenges in gateway courses. The increased academic rigor at a research institution requires a different set of learning strategies, efficient time management, and strong organizational skills. After receiving a bad grade, some women tend to internalize these normal challenges as them being “not good enough” to be a STEM major. The decrease in their self-efficacy contributes to the high exit rate of women in STEM to non-STEM majors”.
She also explains that “while as a society and a community, we have much work to do, I am hopeful that with concerted efforts, the gender gap will begin to shrink. However, it will take a commitment from everyone to provide a supportive and enriching environment for women entering STEM fields. As a whole, we need to continue work towards dismantling systems of oppression that marginalize people from diverse backgrounds and challenge cultural attitudes associated with sexism and patriarchy in all aspects of society not just STEM”.