GenderGapsPersistinSTEMMajors

GenderGapsPersistinSTEMMajors
JulioFrancisco


GenderGapsPersistinSTEMMajors

"Thedayswhengirlsweretoldblatantlythattheycan'ttakeadvancemathisover...Butthere
arestillchallengetoequity"LaraS.Kaufmann,aseniorcounselattheNationalWomen's
LawCenterinWashington(Robelen,2012).

TheDepartmentofEducation(2012)reportedthatapproximately57%ofstudentsin
postsecondaryeducationarewomen.Duringthe200910year,about54.4%ofwomen
receivedabachelor'sdegreeand62.6%receivedamaster'sdegree.Inaddition,basedon
theCensusBureaus2009AmericanCommunitySurvey(ACS),theworkforcecomprisedof
48%ofwomen,but24%areSTEM(Science,Technology,Engineering,andMath)workers
(U.S.DepartmentofCommerce[DOC],2011).Despitetheprogressmadeinhavingmore
womeninSTEMfields,thereisstillagendergapinthesefield.Onechallengefacedtodayis
toimprovewomeninvolvementinSTEMfieldsandforwomentoremaininsuchdisciplines.
Therearethreequestionstobeaddress:(1)WhyarewomendisengagingfromSTEM
programs?(2)Whyisitimportantforwomentoentersuchindustries?(3)Howcanonebolster
womensemploymentinSTEMfield?Thisliteraturereviewfocusesonthefactorsthat
contributetowomendisengagingfromSTEMfields.Also,thispaperexaminetheimportance
ofhavingwomeninSTEMindustriesandproposesolutionstothecurrentplight.Overall,
admittingmorewomeninSTEMfieldswillclosethegendergapandbringfurtherequity
amongmenandwomen.

AccordingtodatafromtheDepartmentofEducation(ED)(2012),about8.1%ofgirls
wereenrolledinthegiftedandtalentededucationalprogramin2009,comparetothe7.4%of
boys'participated.EDalsoreportedthatgirlswerelesslikelythanboystobeheldbacka
year.Inaddition,girlsoutnumberedboysinadvanceplacement(AP)coursessuchas


GenderGapsPersistinSTEMMajors

science,foreignlanguage,andotherAPsubjectshowever,boysoutnumberedgirlsinAP
mathematics.Inspiteofthefactthatgirlshaveaccomplishedgreaterachievementthanboys,
girlschoosenottopursueacareerinSTEMfields.
In2012,theGirlScoutsResearchInstitute(GSRI)investigatedwhygirlsdisengage
fromSTEMfields.GSRIconductedanationwidestudy,called"GenerationSTEM,"inwhicha
sampleof852girlages14through17weresurveyed.Resultsweresurprising.GSRIreported
that74%ofteengirlswereinterestedinthefieldofSTEMandSTEMsubjects,andgirls
interestedinSTEMarehighachieverwhohavesupportiveadultnetworkandareexposedto
STEMfield(p.2).Eventhough74%ofgirlsclaimedtheywereinterestedinSTEMsubjects,
only13%ofgirlsexpressedthatpursuingSTEMcareersweretheirfirstchoice.Thereasons
forthefewferventSTEMgirlsarethepsychologicalandsociologicalbarriersencountered
whenworkingtowardacareerinSTEM.Forinstance,girlsofteninternalizenegativeand
archaicstereotypes.Theyadoptthebeliefthatboysarebetterthangirlsinfieldssuchas
mathematics.Asaresultofinternalizingsuchfallaciousbeliefs,girlsperformmuchpoorer
thanboy.Furthermore,ShapiroandWilliams(2012)proclaimedthatparentsandteachers
transmitnegativestereotypestogirlsaboutwomen'smathematicalabilitiesasearlyas
preschoolage.Thisshapesgirlsattitudetowardmathand"ultimatelyundermining
performanceandinterestinscience,technology,engineering,andmath(STEM)fields"
(Introductionsection,para.1).Evenwhengirlshavecultivatedapositiveattitudetowards
mathematics,thesestereotypicalbeliefsdetergirlsfrompursuinginSTEMfields.Lastly,
researchhasshownthatgirlsaremorelikelythanboystogiveuppursuingSTEMcareers
whenmaterialsbecomescabrous.Theyexperiencelowconfidenceintheirabilityand
selfdoubtthemselves(Halvarson,2012).Overall,thesegenderexpectationandbehaviorcan
damagegirls'selfesteemandpreventgirlsforpursuingSTEMfields.


GenderGapsPersistinSTEMMajors

AccordingtotheHigherEducationResearchInstitute,researchrevealedthat15%of
AmericanfemalecollegefreshmanplannedtodeclareaSTEMmajor,comparedto29%of
theirmalecounterparts(St.Rose,2010).Thetransitiontocollegebringsnewchallengesand
stressorsthatmayrestrainfirstyearstudentsfrommajoringinSTEMfields.Seymourand
Hewittdeterminedthatstudentperformanceinsuchcoursesisanindicatorastowhetheror
notstudentswillswitchoutoftheSTEMprogram(ascitedbyGasiewski,Eagan,Garcia,
Hurtado,&Chang,2011).MostwomenoftendropoutofSTEMmajorsduringthefirstyear.
Therefore,thetransitiontocollegeisacriticalperiodinfosteringwomen'sengagementto
STEM.ThereasonwhyundergraduatewomendropoutofSTEMprogramsisthatwomen
oftenfeelisolated,intimidated,andfaceinimicalityfrommalepeersaswellasmale
professors(Rosethanl,London,Levy,&Lobel,2012).Nottomention,womenreceiveless
positivereinforcementandencouragementfromprofessors,instructors,andmentorsthan
men(Buday,Stake,Peterson,2012).Infact,aBayerFactofSciencesurveyexaminedthe
experienceof1,226womenandminorityscientistsfromchildhoodtotheworkplace.The
surveyrevealedthatabout40%ofparticipantexperienceddiscouragementduringsomepoint
oftheircareerand60%saidthatmoredissuasionoccurredincollege,majorityfrom
professors("Women,minorities,"2010).Womenrequiresasourceofsupportfromthe
academicinstituteandoutsidesource.Academicsocialsupportcancomefrommentoring
programandsupportgroups,whileoutsidesupportcancomefromfamiliesandfriends.
Socialsupporthasproventohelpalleviatestressors.Forinstance,Klink,ByarsWinston,and
Bakken(2008)conductedaresearch,inwhichKlinkandcolleaguessurveyed238premedical
studentsregardingtheircopingefficacyandperceivedfamilysupport.Resultsdemonstrated
thatfamilysupportwasakeyfactorinestablishingthesepremedicalstudents'confidence


GenderGapsPersistinSTEMMajors

whenfacedwithacademicchallengesandalsodevelopingcopingstrategieswhenfacedwith
stressors.
EvenafterfinishingschoolandsettlinginaSTEMcareer,"womenencounterpotential
careerendingtraps"(Purcell,2012).OnceinaSTEMjob,mostwomenfacethedemandof
takingcareoftheirfamily,whilebalancingwork(DOC,2011).Unfortunately,some
employmentlackalternativetenureclocks,childcare,andpaidleave(Glass&Minnotle,
2010).ItisimportanttohavewomenengageinSTEMfieldinorder"toimprovediversity,
maximizecreativityandboostcompetitive"(Purcell,2012)."ManyjobswithintheSTEMfields
focusondesigningproductsandmaterialsthataimtoadvanceourexperienceandallowusto
livesaferlives.Therefore,itiscriticaltoensureproductsandmaterialsaredevelopedto
benefitbothgenders"(Purcell,2012).Inonecase,ElkaKoehler,amotherandwifewhose
familysupportherengineeringcareer,expressed,"themostpowerfulreasonthatIhopeand
workforachangeisthatIwantmydaughtertohavealltheopportunitiestheworldhasto
offersothatshecanreachherfullpotentialandfindcontentmentinlife"(Koehler,2008).
Thus,itisimportanttohavewomeninordertomanufactureproductssuitableforboth
gendersandtoallowwomentoreachtheirhighestaspirations.

Overall,thefactorsthatassiduouslyappeartothwartSTEMwomenandgirlsare
psychologicalandsociologicalfactors.Thesefactorsincludesnegativestereotypes
transmittedbyparentsandteachers,dissuasionfromothers,andlackofsocialsupport.Other
reasonsforwomen'sdisengagementarethelackofinterestforSTEMandthechallengeof
balancinglifeworklifestyle(GSRI,2012).Also,Diekmanetal.(2011)notedthatwomen
valuecommunalgoals(e.g.workingwithandhelpingothers),whichcannotbefulfilledwhen
pursuingaSTEMcareer.Anotherreasonthatwasnotmentionedisthatwomenofcolor


GenderGapsPersistinSTEMMajors

confrontagreaterdealofobstacleswhenpursuingaSTEMcareer.Studiesconfirmedthat
thenotionofwomenofcolorlackinginterestinSTEMdisciplinesisamyth(Unravelingthe,
2011).Womenofcolorexperienceadoublebind,inwhichtheyencounterbeingoppressed
forbeingawomenandbeinganunderrepresentedminority.Alimitedamountofresearches
hasbeenconductedabouttheuniquechallengefacedbyunderrepresentedminoritywomen
whopursueaSTEMcareer.Importanttomention,Asianwomenlagbehindnotonlywhitebut
alsowhitewomen,eventhoughbothAsianmenandwomenexcelinSTEMcourses(Jing&
Wu,2011)
Numerousofprogramshasbeenproposedandimplementedinordertoimprove
genderequityinSTEM,butdatadoesnotshowasignificantgain(Wasburn&White,2006).
Notallprogramsthatwillbeproposewouldbeonesizefitallduetothefactthatwomen
comefromdiverseracial,ethnic,andsocioeconomicgroups.Toincreasethenumberof
womenemployedinSTEMindustries,oneneedstoimprovetherecruitingandhiring
process.Studiesshownthatwomenandmenhavedifferentsocialnetworktojob
availabilities.Sinceemployersrelyontheirextantemployeessocialnetworktorecruit
potentialapplicants,womenmaylackinformationtojobopeningrelativetomenina
maledominatedcareers,likeSTEMjobs,duetothefactthatmalesshareinformationtoother
malecounterparts.GlassandMinnotte(2010)indicatedthatpostingjobavailabilityinvenues
thattargetwomenwouldincreasethepercentageofwomenapplicants.Sofartheoutlookof
womeninSTEMmajorsisaworkingprogress,requiringcreativityapproachesandingenuity
toincreasewomenintheSTEMfield.Letshopethegenderbarriercanbebroken!


GenderGapsPersistinSTEMMajors

References:
Buday,S.K.,Stake,J.E.,&Peterson,Z.D.(2012)GenderandtheChoiceofScienceCareer:
TheImpactofSocialSupportandPossibleSelves.SexRole,66,197209.DOI:
10.1007/s.1119901100154.
Diekman,A.B.,Clark,E.K.,Johnston,A.M.,Brown,E.R.,&Steinberg,M.(2011).
Malleabilityincommunalgoalsandbeliefsinfluencesattractiontostemcareers:
Evidenceforagoalcongruityperspective.JournalOfPersonalityAndSocial
Psychology,101(5),902918.doi:10.1037/a0025199.
Gasiewski,J.A.,Eagan,K.M.,Garcia,G.A.,HurtadoS.,&Chang,M.J.(2011,December
14).FromGatekeepeingtoEngagement:AMulticontextual,MixedMethodStudyof
StudentAcademicEngagementinIntroductorySTEMcourses.Researchin
Education,54(2),229261.DOI:10.1007/s111620119247y.
GirlScoutResearchInstitute.(2012).GenerationSTEM:WhatGirlsSayaboutScience,
Technology,Engineering,andMath.Retrievedfrom
http://www.girlscouts.org/research/publications/stem/g
eneration_stem_what_girls_say.asp
Glass,C.,&Minnotle,K.L.(2010).RecruitingandHiringWomeninSTEMfields.National
AssociationofDiversityOfficersinHigherEducation,3(4),218229.Doi:
10.1037/90020581.
Halvarson,H.G.(2012,March1).TheTroublewithBrightGirls.HuffingtonPost.Retrieved
from
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/heidigranthalvorsonphd/girlsconfidence_b_828418.h
tml
Jing,W.,&Wu,L.(2011).AsianwomeninSTEMcareers:aninvisibleminorityinadouble


GenderGapsPersistinSTEMMajors

bind.IssuesinScienceandTechnology,28(1),82+.Retrievedfrom
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA270733625&v=2.1&u=melb26933&it=r
&p=AONE&sw=w
Klink,J.L,ByarsWinston,A.,&Bakken,L.L.(2008).CopingEfficacyandPerceivedFamily
Support:StressPotentialFactorsforpremedical.MedicalEducation,42,572579.Doi:
10.1111/j.13652923.2008.03091.x
Koehler,E.(2008).WomeninSTEMfieldsstillneedsupport.LaserFocusWorld,44,6870.
Retrievedfromhttp://search.proquest.com/docview/227972543?accountid=27313.
Purcell,K.(2012).UnlockingBalanceandBrillianceinSTEMfields.ConsultingSpecifying
Engineer.Retrievedfrom
http://search.proquest.com/docview/1037764263?accountid=27313.
Rosenthal,L.,London,B.,Levy,S.R.,&Lobel,M.(2011,February6).TheRoleofPerceived
IdentityCompatibilityandsocialsupportforWomeninSinglesexSTEMProgramata
CoeducationalUniversity.SexRoles,65,725736.DOI:10.1007/s1119901199450.
Robelen,E.W.(2012).GenderGapsPersistinSTEMeducation.EducationWeekly,31
(35),1717,19.Retrievedfrom
http://search.proquest.com/docview/1022004084?accountid=27313
Shapiro,J.R.&Williams,A.M.(2012).TheRoleofStereotypeThreatsinUnderminingGirls'
andwomen'sPerformanceandInterestinSTEMfield.SexRoles.Doi:
10.1007/s1119901100510.
Seymour,E.,&Hewitt,N.(1997).Talkingaboutleaving:Whyundergraduatesleavethe
sciences.Boulder,CO:WestviewPress
St.Rose,A.(2010).STEMmajorchoiceandthegenderpaygap.OnCampuwithWomen,
39(1).Retrievedfrom


GenderGapsPersistinSTEMMajors

http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA238751293&v=2.1&u=melb26933&it=r
&p=AONE&sw=w
UnravelingtheDoubleBind:WomenofColorinSTEM.(2011).HarvardEducationalReview,
81(2),157161.Retrievedfrom
http://search.proquest.com/docview/874155305?accountid=27313.
U.S.DepartmentofCommerce,EconomicsandStatisticsAdministration.(2011).Womenin
STEM:GenderGaptoInnovationExecutiveSummary.Retrievedfrom
http://www.esa.doc.gov/sites/default/files/reports/documents/womeninstemagaptoinno
vation8311.pdf
U.S.DepartmentofEducation.(2012).GenderEquityinEducation.Retrievedfrom
http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/genderequityineducation.pdf
Wasburn,M.H.,&White,K.F.(2006).CareerQuesting:evaluatingWebbasedresourcesfor
interestinggirlsinSTEMcareers.InternationalJournalofInformationand
CommunicationTechnologyEducation,2(3),45+.Retrievedfrom
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA163212737&v=2.1&u=melb26933&it=r
&p=AONE&sw=w
Women,minoritiesdiscouragedfromSTEM.(2010,May).WomeninHigherEducation,19(5),
3.Retrievedfrom
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA226382509&V=2.1&u=melb26933&it=r
&p=AONE&sw=w.