Studies have shown that girls and young women express interest in math and science at similar rates as boys and young men, but somewhere between that initial interest and graduation from college they have chosen another path. Conventional theory has been that females are less interested or less adept at math and science than males, but research has shown another story.
“In schools and in homes the environment that is created serves to subtly and perhaps in some cases not so subtly discourage girls or encourage them to focus on other areas, even if they might have a brimming interest and ability in science,” said Dr. Andresse St. Rose, one of the contributors to “Why So Few: Women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.”
The report, published by the American Association of University Women (AAUW) and funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation, involves a review of literature about gender and science published over the past 15 years. The contributors examined what some of the findings have regarded as the reasons why women and girls remain under-represented in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).
Also being published today are the results of a national survey conducted by the Bayer Corporation in which approximately 40 percent of the 1,226 women and minority chemists and chemical engineers surveyed said they were discouraged from pursuing a STEM career at some point in their lives. Other findings include the observation that regardless of gender, race or ethnicity interest in science begins in early childhood.
The AAUW report shows the same. It notes that “many young women graduate from high school with the skills needed to succeed in majors in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, yet college-bound women are less likely than men to pursue majors in those fields.”
“The evidence shows that in college many women who start off in STEM majors [don’t complete them],” said St. Rose. “Clearly, if they’re in these majors there is a desire. They’ve shown some ability and talent in these areas earlier on. But many capable young women leave these majors.
“They’re not leaving because they’re unsuccessful,” she added. “The research we looked at and that we talk about in the report says the climate of some of these college departments don’t facilitate women’s participation and progress. … They leave because they feel unwelcome or they just haven’t fit in.”
