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Survey: Women, minorities need STEM encouragement
Involvement in science and math-related fields should be supported throughout life, advocates say
A Bayer Corp. survey found that women and minorities need to be encouraged to pursue STEM fields from an early age.
The science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) industry should make every effort to work from the top down to encourage women and minorities to pursue careers in those fields, according to a study by the Bayer Corp., a health-care and nutrition company.
The Bayer Facts of Science Education XIV survey polled more than 1,200 female, black, Hispanic, and American Indian chemists and chemical engineers, who also are members of the American Chemical Society, about childhood, academic, and workplace experiences that play a role in attracting and retaining women and underrepresented minorities in STEM fields.
“Almost eight in 10 of our survey respondents say women and underrepresented minorities are missing because they were not encouraged to study STEM fields early on,” said Bayer Corp. President and Chief Executive Officer Greg Babe.
Mae C. Jemison, a chemical engineer and America’s first black female astronaut, noted that she was lucky when she was growing up to have access to scientists and science programs that allowed her to explore her interest in the field.
“When I was in grade school in Chicago, we thought an engineer was the person who drove the train,” she said, pointing out that it was her access to teachers who were passionate about science that let her know becoming an engineer was an option.
Regardless of gender, race, or ethnicity, interest in science begins in early childhood.
Nearly 60 percent of respondents said they first became interested in science by age 11. This parallels the findings of a 1998 Bayer Facts survey of American Ph.D. scientists, which included white men. In that survey, six in 10 also reported interest in science by age 11.
“All children have an innate interest in science and the world around them. But for many children, that interest hits roadblocks along an academic system that is still not blind to gender or color. These roadblocks have nothing to do with intellect, innate ability, or talent,” Jemison said.
“On the contrary, they are the kinds of larger, external socio-cultural and economic forces that students have no control over. As students, they cannot change the fact that they do not have access to [high-] quality science and math education in their schools. But adults can. And we must.”
Jemison pointed out that her childhood and early academic experience were exceptions and not the rule.
The survey results identified the three top causes or contributors that respondents thought lead to underrepresentation in STEM fields.
Those causes include a lack of high-quality science and math education programs in poorer school districts (cited by 75 percent of respondents); persistent stereotypes that STEM isn’t for girls or minorities (66 percent); and financial issues related to the cost of education (53 percent).
Discouragement also is something that those surveyed said they have to face and overcome if they want to be successful in STEM fields.
“Sixty percent say college is the leading place they are discouraged,” Jemison said. “I had professors who were not entirely pleased to see me in their classrooms.”
10 Responses to Survey: Women, minorities need STEM encouragement
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felipe.razo
March 23, 2010 at 1:07 pm
My feeling is that the joy of understanding and using the power of accuracy, precision, and sound quantitative thinking is probably lost during the earlier years of our education. This might be true not only for women and minorities, but for the greater population in our schools.
By the way, I wonder how much meaningful input would professionals, engineers and scientists, involved in todays REAL challenges would have in the structure of the new US national standards for mathematics, now being developed, and for which comments are being requested by Aprin 2? ….
By the way also, are we aware that ALMOST ALL numerical representations and operations today, and in the near future, complex and simple, are and will be executed in the simpler binary, base-2 system?
felipe.razo
March 23, 2010 at 1:07 pm
My feeling is that the joy of understanding and using the power of accuracy, precision, and sound quantitative thinking is probably lost during the earlier years of our education. This might be true not only for women and minorities, but for the greater population in our schools.
By the way, I wonder how much meaningful input would professionals, engineers and scientists, involved in todays REAL challenges would have in the structure of the new US national standards for mathematics, now being developed, and for which comments are being requested by Aprin 2? ….
By the way also, are we aware that ALMOST ALL numerical representations and operations today, and in the near future, complex and simple, are and will be executed in the simpler binary, base-2 system?
thomas.edgar
March 24, 2010 at 3:21 am
As an educator for k-12 students, I have to say that there is more than just lack of encouragement by the school system that is to blame for females not pursuing careers in science. Even though I find it hopeful that the survey found that teachers do more to stimulate and sustain students’ interest in Science and Math, it is disheartening to see that interest wane as girls are distracted by messages sent through advertising and media portrayals of the “ideal” woman. I am also a leader for k-1 Girl Scouts and even though at this young age, the girls want to soak up as much knowledge about science as we can present to them, they are already distracted by the image of older girls that they see on TV and in movies. Schools, social organizations and corporations can certainly go a long way to promote interest in science, but it is an up hill battle as long as the glitz is going to sex appeal and appearance rather than socially redeeming talents
thomas.edgar
March 24, 2010 at 3:21 am
As an educator for k-12 students, I have to say that there is more than just lack of encouragement by the school system that is to blame for females not pursuing careers in science. Even though I find it hopeful that the survey found that teachers do more to stimulate and sustain students’ interest in Science and Math, it is disheartening to see that interest wane as girls are distracted by messages sent through advertising and media portrayals of the “ideal” woman. I am also a leader for k-1 Girl Scouts and even though at this young age, the girls want to soak up as much knowledge about science as we can present to them, they are already distracted by the image of older girls that they see on TV and in movies. Schools, social organizations and corporations can certainly go a long way to promote interest in science, but it is an up hill battle as long as the glitz is going to sex appeal and appearance rather than socially redeeming talents
nhoke
March 28, 2010 at 1:16 am
Many years, 1978, ago I worked for Nebraska Public Television and in conjunction with the University of Nebraska produced a television series on Women in Science. This series was designed to encourage young women in high school to continue to study science and math and pursue the subjects in college. All of the issues discussed in the study were discussed in the programs now over 30 years old. It is so disheartening to reflect on the limited ground that has been gained in this critical field of study.
nhoke
March 28, 2010 at 1:16 am
Many years, 1978, ago I worked for Nebraska Public Television and in conjunction with the University of Nebraska produced a television series on Women in Science. This series was designed to encourage young women in high school to continue to study science and math and pursue the subjects in college. All of the issues discussed in the study were discussed in the programs now over 30 years old. It is so disheartening to reflect on the limited ground that has been gained in this critical field of study.
sandy@alivetek.com
March 29, 2010 at 4:42 pm
In general we should be integrating career exploration activities in all of our STEM classes to ensure all students are becoming inspired and engaged. I have always found by providing roleplaying experiences, more students become personally engaged. While not all STEM careers start and end with NASA, NASA continues to be one of the most prominent providers of STEM career inspiring activities. You may want to check out the lesson plans that are available for free from http://www.nasa-klass.com. They were created to supplement a Space Shuttle simulation program, and the contributors took great care to ensure females were well represented. A piece that I love is the Weather Channel interview with the Shuttle Launch Weather Officer, Kathy Winters. If you want to get girls fired up about being able to do anything they want to do in the world of science and technology, show it to them! http://www.nasa-klass.com/Curriculum/Get_Training%201/Weather/PRES_Weather-LWO.html
sandy@alivetek.com
March 29, 2010 at 4:42 pm
In general we should be integrating career exploration activities in all of our STEM classes to ensure all students are becoming inspired and engaged. I have always found by providing roleplaying experiences, more students become personally engaged. While not all STEM careers start and end with NASA, NASA continues to be one of the most prominent providers of STEM career inspiring activities. You may want to check out the lesson plans that are available for free from http://www.nasa-klass.com. They were created to supplement a Space Shuttle simulation program, and the contributors took great care to ensure females were well represented. A piece that I love is the Weather Channel interview with the Shuttle Launch Weather Officer, Kathy Winters. If you want to get girls fired up about being able to do anything they want to do in the world of science and technology, show it to them! http://www.nasa-klass.com/Curriculum/Get_Training%201/Weather/PRES_Weather-LWO.html
patty o novak
April 2, 2010 at 12:13 am
Thank you for this article! Supporting women and minorities in their pursuit of STEM related careers is such a critical topic.
Recently, I presented some elementary engineering books to a local school district. In my presentation speech, I said “Engineering is for everybody and anybody.” Afterwards, 2 4th grade girls came up to me to tell me my words were inspiring. A little bit goes a long way!
patty o novak
April 2, 2010 at 12:13 am
Thank you for this article! Supporting women and minorities in their pursuit of STEM related careers is such a critical topic.
Recently, I presented some elementary engineering books to a local school district. In my presentation speech, I said “Engineering is for everybody and anybody.” Afterwards, 2 4th grade girls came up to me to tell me my words were inspiring. A little bit goes a long way!