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Gender Gaps Persist in STEM Majors 1
Gender Gaps Persist in STEM Majors
Julio Francisco
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"The days when girls were told blatantly that they can 't take advance math is over...But there
are still challenge to equity"-- Lara S. Kaufmann, a senior counsel at the National Women's
Law Center in Washington (Robelen, 2012).
The Department of Education (2012) reported that approximately 57% of students in
postsecondary education are women. During the 2009-10 year, about 54.4% of women
received a bachelor's degree and 62.6% received a master's degree. In addition, based on
the Census Bureaus 2009 American Community Survey (ACS), the workforce comprised of
48% of women, but 24% are STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) workers
(U.S. Department of Commerce [DOC], 2011). Despite the progress made in having more
women in STEM fields, there is still a gender gap in these field. One challenge faced today is
to improve women involvement in STEM fields and for women to remain in such disciplines.
There are three questions to be address: (1) Why are women disengaging from STEM
programs? (2)Why is it important for women to enter such industries? (3) How can one bolster
womens employment in STEM field? This literature review focuses on the factors that
contribute to women disengaging from STEM fields. Also, this paper examine the importance
of having women in STEM industries and propose solutions to the current plight. Overall,
admitting more women in STEM fields will close the gender gap and bring further equity
among men and women.
According to data from the Department of Education (ED) (2012), about 8.1% of girls
were enrolled in the gifted and talented educational program in 2009, compare to the 7.4% of
boys' participated. ED also reported that girls were less likely than boys to be held back a
year. In addition, girls outnumbered boys in advance placement (AP) courses such as
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science, foreign language, and other AP subjects however, boys outnumbered girls in AP
mathematics. In spite of the fact that girls have accomplished greater achievement than boys,
girls choose not to pursue a career in STEM fields.
In 2012, the Girl Scouts Research Institute (GSRI) investigated why girls disengage
from STEM fields. GSRI conducted a nationwide study, called "Generation STEM," in which a
sample of 852 girl ages 14 through 17 were surveyed. Results were surprising. GSRI reported
that 74% of teen girls were interested in the field of STEM and STEM subjects, and girls
interested in STEM are high achiever who have supportive adult network and are exposed to
STEM field (p. 2). Even though 74% of girls claimed they were interested in STEM subjects,
only 13% of girls expressed that pursuing STEM careers were their first choice. The reasons
for the few fervent STEM girls are the psychological and sociological barriers encountered
when working toward a career in STEM. For instance, girls often internalize negative and
archaic stereotypes. They adopt the belief that boys are better than girls in fields such as
mathematics. As a result of internalizing such fallacious beliefs, girls perform much poorer
than boy. Furthermore, Shapiro and Williams (2012) proclaimed that parents and teachers
transmit negative stereotypes to girls about women's mathematical abilities as early as
preschool age. This shapes girls attitude toward math and "ultimately undermining
performance and interest in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields"
(Introduction section, para. 1). Even when girls have cultivated a positive attitude towards
mathematics, these stereotypical beliefs deter girls from pursuing in STEM fields. Lastly,
research has shown that girls are more likely than boys to give up pursuing STEM careers
when materials become scabrous. They experience low confidence in their ability and
self-doubt themselves (Halvarson, 2012). Overall, these gender expectation and behavior can
damage girls' self-esteem and prevent girls for pursuing STEM fields.
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According to the Higher Education Research Institute, research revealed that 15 % of
American female college freshman planned to declare a STEM major, compared to 29% of
their male counterparts (St. Rose, 2010). The transition to college brings new challenges and
stressors that may restrain first year students from majoring in STEM fields. Seymour and
Hewitt determined that student performance in such courses is an indicator as to whether or
not students will switch out of the STEM program (as cited by Gasiewski, Eagan, Garcia,
Hurtado, & Chang, 2011). Most women often drop out of STEM majors during the first year.
Therefore, the transition to college is a critical period in fostering women's engagement to
STEM. The reason why undergraduate women drop out of STEM programs is that women
often feel isolated, intimidated, and face inimicality from male peers as well as male
professors (Rosethanl, London, Levy, & Lobel, 2012). Not to mention, women receive less
positive reinforcement and encouragement from professors, instructors, and mentors than
men (Buday, Stake, Peterson, 2012). In fact, a Bayer Fact of Science survey examined the
experience of 1,226 women and minority scientists from childhood to the workplace. The
survey revealed that about 40% of participant experienced discouragement during some point
of their career and 60% said that more dissuasion occurred in college, majority from
professors ("Women, minorities," 2010). Women requires a source of support from the
academic institute and outside source. Academic social support can come from mentoring
program and support groups, while outside support can come from families and friends.
Social support has proven to help alleviate stressors. For instance, Klink, Byars-Winston, and
Bakken (2008) conducted a research, in which Klink and colleagues surveyed 238 premedical
students regarding their coping efficacy and perceived family support. Results demonstrated
that family support was a key factor in establishing these premedical students' confidence
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when faced with academic challenges and also developing coping strategies when faced with
stressors.
Even after finishing school and settling in a STEM career, "women encounter potential
career-ending traps" (Purcell, 2012). Once in a STEM job, most women face the demand of
taking care of their family, while balancing work (DOC, 2011). Unfortunately, some
employment lack alternative tenure clocks, child care, and paid leave (Glass & Minnotle,
2010). It is important to have women engage in STEM field in order "to improve diversity,
maximize creativity and boost competitive" (Purcell, 2012). "Many jobs within the STEM fields
focus on designing products and materials that aim to advance our experience and allow us to
live safer lives. Therefore, it is critical to ensure products and materials are developed to
benefit both genders" (Purcell, 2012). In one case, Elka Koehler, a mother and wife whose
family support her engineering career,expressed, "the most powerful reason that I hope and
work for a change is that I want my daughter to have all the opportunities the world has to
offer so that she can reach her full potential and find contentment in life" (Koehler, 2008).
Thus, it is important to have women in order to manufacture products suitable for both
genders and to allow women to reach their highest aspirations.
Overall, the factors that assiduously appear to thwart STEM women and girls are
psychological and sociological factors. These factors includes negative stereotypes
transmitted by parents and teachers, dissuasion from others, and lack of social support. Other
reasons for women's disengagement are the lack of interest for STEM and the challenge of
balancing life-work lifestyle (GSRI, 2012). Also, Diekman et al. (2011) noted that women
value communal goals (e.g. working with and helping others), which cannot be fulfilled when
pursuing a STEM career. Another reason that was not mentioned is that women of color
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confront a greater deal of obstacles when pursuing a STEM career. Studies confirmed that
the notion of women of color lacking interest in STEM disciplines is a myth (Unraveling the,
2011). Women of color experience a double bind, in which they encounter being oppressed
for being a women and being an underrepresented minority. A limited amount of researches
has been conducted about the unique challenge faced by underrepresented minority women
who pursue a STEM career. Important to mention, Asian women lag behind not only white but
also white women, even though both Asian men and women excel in STEM courses (Jing &
Wu, 2011)
Numerous of programs has been proposed and implemented in order to improve
gender equity in STEM, but data does not show a significant gain (Wasburn & White, 2006).
Not all programs that will be propose would be one-size-fit-all due to the fact that women
come from diverse racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups. To increase the number of
women employed in STEM industries, one needs to improve the recruiting and hiring
process.Studies shown that women and men have different social network to job
availabilities. Since employers rely on their extant employees social network to recruit
potential applicants, women may lack information to job opening relative to men in a
male-dominated careers, like STEM jobs, due to the fact that males share information to other
male counterparts. Glass and Minnotte (2010) indicated that posting job availability in venues
that target women would increase the percentage of women applicants. So far the outlook of
women in STEM majors is a working progress, requiring creativity approaches and ingenuity
to increase women in the STEM field. Lets hope the gender barrier can be broken!
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Diekman, A. B., Clark, E. K., Johnston, A. M., Brown, E. R., & Steinberg, M. (2011).
Malleability in communal goals and beliefs influences attraction to stem careers:
Evidence for a goal congruity perspective. Journal Of Personality And Social
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Gasiewski, J.A., Eagan, K. M., Garcia, G. A., Hurtado S., & Chang, M. J. (2011, December
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