Emphasizing Equity During Women’s History Month

Earlier this month, I served on a panel at SXSW EDU discussing the importance of diversity in STEM. Because women are continually underrepresented in STEM fields, it was the perfect way to kick off Women’s History Month, a time to reflect on the progress we’ve made and opportunities to improve. 

While women in the United States earn 60 percent of undergraduate degrees, they account for only 35 percent of degrees awarded in STEM fields, according to Brookings. Female representation in the field is even worse, with women making up just 24 percent of the STEM workforce. The numbers don’t lie—women are severely underrepresented in these high-growth, high-demand fields.

To change this, we need to start early and ensure female students are engaged in and empowered to pursue STEM careers. This means providing high-quality, early STEM learning experiences for all students before stereotypes start to take hold. According to a study published in Child Development, children express the stereotype that mathematics is for boys, not girls, as early as 2ndgrade. A study of scientists and graduate students conducted by the University of Virginiafound 65 percent of participants reported their interest in science began before middle school. All students must be given hands-on experience in these fields early and often.

Increasing the number of women in STEM-related fields is imperative for the health of the economy. Many businesses struggle to find the STEM talent they need. According to a Business Roundtable study,60 percent of executives said data science and computer science were “very relevant” to their company’s current openings. Yet about half of executives found that these skills were “very problematic” to find. Closing this skills gap starts with ensuring all students have the same opportunities to achieve in every field, particularly these fields that provide in-demand, sustainable careers.

And when women have the chance to thrive in STEM fields, we all win. A 2015 studyby McKinsey Global Institute found that achieving gender parity in the labor market could add $28 trillion—growth of 26 percent—to the global GDP by 2025. And in recent researchfrom Harvard Business School, data suggest gender diversity corresponds to greater market value and revenue—but only in companies with a widespread cultural belief that gender diversity matters. It isn’t enough to empower women on paper; we must also fully appreciate the importance of doing so as a matter of equity and as an economic imperative.

It’s clear we all benefit from women having equitable access to careers in STEM, and as the demand for these careers continues to increase, it’s even more imperative. We must start early. Educators should ensure that all students have access to high-quality career learning experiences that open their eyes to the career opportunities available to them. And business leaders must make personnel and hiring decisions that give women an equal opportunity. As we celebrate Women’s History Month, there’s no time like the present to start making these changes.