why are women and minorities still underrepresented in stem careers?

Copyright © 2007 Stevens Institute of TechnologyCenter for Innovation in Engineering and Science Education

Why are Women and Minorities Still

Underrepresented in STEM Careers?

Susan MetzFounder and Past President

Women in Engineering Proactive Network (WEPAN)


Greatest Engineering Achievements of the 20th Century

Electrification Automobile Airplane Water Supply and

Distribution Electronics Radio and Television Agricultural Mechanization Computers Telephone Air Conditioning and

Refrigeration

Electrification Automobile Airplane Water Supply and

Distribution Electronics Radio and Television Agricultural Mechanization Computers Telephone Air Conditioning and

Refrigeration

Highways Spacecraft Internet Imaging Household Appliances Health Technologies Petroleum and Petrochemical

Technologies Laser and Fiber Optics Nuclear Technologies High Performance Materials

Highways Spacecraft Internet Imaging Household Appliances Health Technologies Petroleum and Petrochemical

Technologies Laser and Fiber Optics Nuclear Technologies High Performance Materials


Why do we need to encourage students to study engineering and science?

In the last 50 years, more than half of America’s sustained economic growth was fueled by engineers, scientists and advanced-degree technologists, a mere 5% of America’s 132 million-person workforce.

Twenty-five percent of our scientists and engineers will reach retirement age this year.


Why do we care if women & minorities become engineers and scientists?

As a consequence of a lack of diversity we pay an opportunity cost, a cost in designs not thought of, in solutions not produced.

Dr. William Wulf, Past President, National Academy of Engineering

By the year 2050, 85% of the entrants into the workforce will be people of color and women. In 2006, women were 26%, African Americans 3.9% and Hispanics 4.4% of all STEM occupations.

If we do not engage women and minorities in the engineering enterprise, we are ignoring more than 52% of America’s intellectual talent.


The Changing Domestic Talent Pool

1980

Native American, 0.6%

Asian, 1.5%

Hispanic, 6.4%

Black, non-Hispanic,

11.7%

White, non-Hispanic,

83.1%

2000

White, non-Hispanic,

69.1%

Black, non-Hispanic,

12.1%

Hispanic, 12.5%

Asian, 3.6%

Native American, 0.9%


What mathematics courses are U.S. high school students taking? 2005


What science courses are U.S. high school students taking? 2005


Intended College Major of High School SAT Test-Takers

0.00% 2.00% 4.00% 6.00% 8.00% 10.00%

Computer Science

Math/Statistics

Physical Science

Engineering

Source: CPST, data derived from the College Board

Precent Chosen Major of SAT Test-Takers, 2008


Little Change in Mathematics SAT Scores by Sex

460

470

480

490

500

510

520

530

540

550

1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008

Male

Total

Female

Source: CPST, data derived from the College Board


Mathematics SAT Scores Increased for Most Minority Groups

0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700

Total

White

African American

Asian/Pacific Islander

Native American

Mexican American

Puerto Rican

Other Hispanic

2008

1996

Source: CPST, data derived from The College Board


Women and Girls in IT

Girls comprise fewer than 17% of AP computer science exam-takers.

(Physics 35%, Chem 47%, Calc 42 & 49%, Bio 59%)

Between 1985-2008, the share of computer science bachelor’s degrees awarded to women dropped from 37 to 18 percent.


Males Far More Likely to Plan to Major in Technical Fields Than are Females

Source: CPST, data derived from Higher Education Research Institute

0.0

5.0

10.0

15.0

20.0

25.0

30.0

1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2007

Males

0.0

5.0

10.0

15.0

20.0

25.0

30.0

1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006

Computer Science

Physical Sciences

Engineering

Females

2007


Freshman Engineering Enrollments: No Progress for Women

0

20,000

40,000

60,000

80,000

100,000

120,0001

98

4

19

86

19

88

19

90

19

92

19

94

19

96

19

98

20

00

20

02

20

04

20

06

Women Men Total

Freshman Engineering Enrollment by Sex

Source: CPST, data derived from Engineering Workforce Commission


Progress Slows for Underrepresented Minority Freshmen in Engineering

0

10,000

20,000

30,000

40,000

50,000

60,000

19

86

19

88

19

90

19

92

19

94

19

96

19

98

20

00

20

02

20

04

20

06

African Americans Hispanics Native Americans

Asians Foreign Nationals


Freshman Engineering Enrollment by Race/ Ethnicity


The Decline of Women in Engineering Evident for all Races/Ethnicities

0.0

5.0

10.0

15.0

20.0

25.0

30.0

35.0

40.0

1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

Total

African American

Latina

Native American


Enrollments of Women in Engineering by Race/ Ethnicity


U.S. Undergraduate Engineering Enrollment by Sex & Race/Ethnicity

0.0

2.0

4.0

6.0

8.0

10.0

12.0

14.0

16.0

18.0

20.0

1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006

Perc

en

t

Women

African American

Hispanic

Asian

Native American



Women Still Earn Few Bachelor’s Degrees in Some Engineering Disciplines


Women in Selected Occupations 2007

0.3

0.073

0.086

0.115

0.212

0.256

0.282

0.326

0.388

0.408

0.426

0.462

0.619

0.644

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%

Psychologists

Accountants/Auditors

Postsecondary Teachers

Biological Scientists

Chemists

Marketing & Sales Mgrs.

Lawyers

Physicians/Surgeons

Dentists

Chief Executives

Chemical Engineers

Civil Engineers

Electrical Engineers

Mechanical Engineers

Source: CPST, data derived from Bureau of Labor Statistics (Women in the Labor Force: Databook, 2007)


Minorities in Selected Occupations 2007

0% 2% 4% 6% 8% 10% 12% 14% 16% 18%

Accountants/Auditors

Chemical Engineers

Chemists

Electrical Engineers

Marketing & Sales Mgrs.

Physicians/Surgeons

Postsecondary Teachers

Lawyers

Civil Engineers

Dentists

Psychologists

Chief Executives

Mechanical Engineers

Biological Scientists

Black

Hispanic

Source: CPST, data derived from Bureau of Labor Statistics (from the CPS, 2007)


Role of Community Colleges

A 2004 report from the National Science Foundation found that almost half of the more than 740,000 science and engineering graduates with bachelor’s degrees in 1999 and 2000 attended a community college at some point.


What impacts student interest in STEM and IT?

Engineering courses are not integrated into K-12 education.

Cultural and individual stereotypes persist.

A lack of awareness about what engineers and scientists contribute to the world.

Influential people in students’ lives are unfamiliar or uneasy with math, science and STEM fields.


Are girls disproportionately affected by issues relating to interest in STEM?

Study: Female Teachers’ Math Anxiety Affects Girls’ Math Achievement. (Beilock et. al., 2009) Finding: By end of school year, the more anxious 1st

and 2nd grade teachers were about math, the more likely girls (not boys) were to endorse commonly held stereotypes (boys are good at math, girls are good at reading). And, these girls’ exhibited lower math achievement .



Study: National Differences in Gender-Science Stereotypes Predict National Sex Differences in Science and Math Achievement. (Noseka et al.,2009)

Finding: 70% of more than half million Implicit Association Tests completed by people in 34 countries revealed expected implicit stereotypes associating science with males more than females. Nation-level implicit stereotypes predicted nation level sex differences in 8th grade science and math achievement.



Study: Gender, Culture, and Mathematics Performance. (Hydea and Mertz, 2009) Finding: In US, girls and boys have reached parity in math

performance at all grade levels. Among mathematically gifted, boys favor girls 4 to 2 but gap is closing and differences correlate with countries gender equity, indicating that the gap is due in large part to socio-cultural not biological issues.


The Challenge: Convert Perceptions of Students, Parents, Educators

FROM THIS… Nerd Math and science geek Must be brilliant White male Primarily works with

machines Communicates poorly Boring/Rigid Irrelevant

TO THIS… Creative Enjoys and does well in

math and science Likes to solve problems Works in teams Improves people’s lives Curious Makes the world work


What can we do to encourage students to consider STEM and IT careers?

Dispel the stereotypes that persist. Provide resources and information to students, parents and

educators. Urge educators who are uneasy with math and science to

encourage students to explore the field (and hide their discomfort!).

Broaden perspectives about the profile of students (male and female of all demographics) who might be interested in or benefit from studying these fields.

Suggest that students investigate programs at colleges designed to introduce students to these fields.


Barbie’s 125th Career Computer Engineer

"As a computer engineer, Barbie will show girls that women can turn their ideas into realities that have a direct and positive impact on people's everyday lives in this exciting and rewarding career."


What else can we do to encourage students to consider STEM and IT?

Remind students that taking math and science courses is important since so many careers in the 21st century require this knowledge.

Integrate engineering and IT activities into existing math and science courses.

Organize a career program at your school and invite students and professionals involved in these fields to talk about what they do.


Career Challenges for the 21st Century

• Energy• Environment• Healthcare• Information Systems• Security• Communications• Transportation


Resources to Help Students and their Parents to Explore Engineering

Center for Innovation in Engineering & Science Education: www.stevens.edu/ciese

ASEE Engineering K-12 Center: www.engineeringk12.org Engineer Girl!: www.engineergirl.org Sloan Career Cornerstone Center: www.careercornerstone.org Engineers Week: www.eweek.org Society of Women Engineers: www.swe.org National Alliance for Partnerships in Equity www.napeequity.org National Academies CASEE Virtual Support Network eees.nae.edu WEPAN: Making the Connection http://www.wepan.org

why are women and minorities still underrepresented in stem careers?

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