Science fields battle gender gap

Posted by Kendall Harmon

...people...are concerned about a persistent gender gap in college degrees in science, technology, engineering and math -- STEM, for short. The notion that it might have to do with aptitude has long been dismissed. Yet research shows that girls who enjoy -- and excel at -- math and science in high school are less likely than boys to pursue a college major in those fields.

And even if they start college majoring in a STEM field, women are more likely than men to change majors, federal data show. Women make up 24% of STEM jobs, which offers some of the most lucrative careers, a Commerce Department report says. More than half of them have degrees in the physical and life sciences.

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Filed under: * Culture-Watch • Education • Men • Science & Technology • Teens / Youth • Women • Young Adults

1 Comments
Posted August 2, 2012 at 11:30 am [Printer Friendly] [Print w/ comments]



1. Formerly Marion R. wrote:

These articles are perennial and they perennially miss the point.

The reason why so few females are in these fields is the same as why so few males are in these fields: they are drudge-filled cul-de-sacs.  Even among males who study engineering in college, only 30% actually go into engineering. 

The real question is not why so many females don’t go into technology but why the few males who do, do.

As for most girls, here’s an excerpt from an article in today’s NYT that says it all:

Some of Silicon Valley’s best-dressed women, including Sheryl Sandberg of Facebook and Juliet de Baubigny, a partner at Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, the venture capital firm, declined to be interviewed about their style. But others said that dressing well (and talking about it) could help erode the stereotypes that repel some women from the technology field.

Dressing well. Can’t wait to see the new Title IX regulations.

August 4, 7:53 am | [comment link]
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