The Future is STEM

STEM education has never been more pressing. The situation has only been made worse by the Covid-19 pandemic that has not only hindered overall STEM education but amplified the gender gap in STEM-based subjects.?

Time after time, women and girls have been systematically pushed away from STEM subjects throughout their education, closing the door and limiting their access to go into these fields as adults. Even though women comprise half the population, they are grossly underrepresented in STEM careers. Research shows that only 35% of girls aged 16 years old choose maths, physics, computing or technical vocational qualifications, compared to 94% of boys. Only then do 9% of those girls go on to study those subjects at degree level.?

One thing that I struggle to understand is why when we have so many young, powerful and talented women paving the way in the fields of business, law and medicine, are there still so few represented in science and engineering? As of 2020, women make up less than a third of the global average of the STEM workforce at a staggeringly low 28.8% (UNESCO). I believe now more than ever that we must break down these barriers and rewrite the narrative so that collectively, we can close the gender gap definitively.?

The world is changing and changing rapidly. Given the complexity facing the future of our planet and its developing world, now more than ever, we are reliant upon innovations and technological breakthroughs in finding the solutions to our global challenges. As technology advances, so does the need for robust STEM education that is inclusive to all. We must focus on overcoming these hurdles by creating a diverse and gender-inclusive space within STEM, where innovation, creativity and pioneering can thrive.?

We must raise the stakes by challenging gender bias and inequality and open the stage for women so that they can tap into their potential and lead the way as STEM visionaries. We must go back to the very beginning and give careful attention to our schools and classrooms so that the next-generation pioneers will not only be exposed to STEM concepts from a young age but outwardly encouraged in developing problem-solving, critical thinking and innovation skills needed to succeed in any desired field.?