The STEAM engine that could! Overcoming the problem of female under-representation

"Let's ensure that every girl, everywhere, has the opportunity to realize her dreams, grow into her power and contribute to a sustainable future for all," UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres said in a message marking International Day of Women and Girls in Science.

He went on to stay that gender stereotypes, a lack of visible role models and unsupportive or even hostile policies and environments can keep women and girls from pursuing these careers. His call to action was for, “concerted, concrete efforts” to overcome these obstacles. The world must not only tackle misconceptions about girls' abilities, but must also promote access to learning opportunities for women and girls. UN officials put it succinctly – the future will be marked by scientific and technological progress which, “will be the greatest when it draws on the full talent, creativity and ideas of women and girls in science.”

Letting off some STEAM

It is well established now, that persisting biases and gender stereotypes, when in combination with some hard-wiring, can drive girls and women away from science-related fields. A study published in 2017 in Science shows that by as early as age six, girls are already less likely than boys to describe their own gender as “brilliant”, and turn down the opportunity to participate in activities said to be for “very, very smart” children. But, at age five, just one year earlier, there was no differentiation between boys and girls in expectations of “really, really smart.” Parents, teachers, society, workplace culture, and women, all have a role to play in addressing the issue. 

In the early days of electronic computing, the work was largely done by women! Once computers became indispensable and associated with great power and influence, female programmers lost out in Technology despite having all the requisite skills. AI recruiting processes can continue the industry’s legacy of bias because these jobs are located in already male-dominated fields filled with men’s resumes. Now it’s time for men to stand up and be allies and vocal advocates, at work and at home. Girls need to see more young women in tech roles and young women need to see more role models succeeding in tech, and, believe that it is an environment that will allow them to have fulfilling careers, and, lives. 

A study conducted by Microsoft found that 72% of the girls polled said it was important for them to have jobs that directly helped the world, but only 37% thought of STEM careers as being creative or making the world better. The solution is right there for us – the very narrative around Engineering needs to be re-engineered! I have seen first-hand the impact of girls’ strong desire to change the world. My daughter was interested in pursuing science projects when she realized they would solve real-world problems and help others. The context was way more important to her than the concept. We need to “help girls connect the dots between changing the world and STEM”.

Scientists have long recognized that science and the Art of storytelling are inextricably intertwined. Unfortunately, in a standardized testing driven environment there is often no room left for creativity. Students are introduced to scientific concepts largely through textbooks and lectures that can be rather uninspiring. Interactive experiences, exposure to STEM careers and visibility of role-models will go a long way in inspiring more girls. If STEM subjects were explained through the lens of story it is believed that many more girls, who consistently score higher than boys in verbal proficiency, might be more interested. 'It sure beats a pink microscope!'.

The 2018 Future of Jobs Report by the World Economic Forum covering 20 countries, concluded that millions of jobs could be lost to disruptive labor market changes with an overwhelming majority of future jobs requiring STEM-based skills. The Math is simple - we cannot afford to miss out on the contributions of 50% of the world’s population! We need that diversity of thought - especially when there are many critical problems waiting to be solved creatively. We need numbers - governance and policy and diversity and inclusion and goals and metrics…

Full STEAM ahead

There is a lot of momentum around gender equality in STEM. It is apparent what needs to happen to increase the representation of women, and many initiatives are driving change.

 Shattering of stereotypes

Telling the whole(some) story

Exposure and environment

Allies and advocates

Metrics and measures 

“We need to encourage and support girls and women achieve their full potential as scientific researchers and innovators. Women and girls need this, and the world needs this, if we are to achieve our ambitions for sustainable development on a healthy planet,” the UN Secretary General said.

What do you think we can do to address this issue?

Look forward to your comments.