It is certainly no secret that women are drastically underrepresented in the workforce in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) and that men outnumber women majoring in most STEM fields in college. According to the latest U.S. census, women comprise only 27% of STEM workers even though they make up nearly half of the U.S. workforce. (1) This underrepresentation is even more pronounced for Blacks and Hispanics across all STEM fields. The value of diversity in our profession cannot be overstated. Incorporating different voices and viewpoints helps yield better solutions to our transportation challenges and improves the quality of life for everyone.
A recent podcast on Women in STEM discusses women in fields related to STEM in the U.S. There has been a push for some time to increase these numbers, so the podcast decides to spotlight a very promising female college student majoring in STEM, Brighid Cantwell, a student of Lawrence Eppard's (podcast host) at Shippensburg University. It is always enlightening to learn how young people end up in their chosen STEM field. Who inspired them? Who encouraged them? Who saw their potential?
The factors that contribute to disparate representation in STEM fields are complex and can begin early in a child’s educational career. So what can we as transportation professionals do to close this gap?
Through the STEM Outreach and D&I Committees and other initiatives, we have a great foundation for this challenge. However, we can always do more. The American Association of University Women (AAUW) has four key areas of action to help reduce this gap, which include the following:
- Give girls and women the skills and confidence to succeed in math and science;
- Improve STEM education and support for girls starting in early education and through K‐12;
- Work to attract, recruit, and retain women in STEM majors and fields in colleges and universities; and
- Improve job hiring, retention, and promotion pathways and intentionally inclusive cultures (2).
It is easy to see the connection between these areas of action and the ongoing activities within ITE, specifically related to providing STEM outreach resources to educators and our colleagues; addressing diversity and inclusion in our student and professional chapters, sections, and districts; and working to address recruitment and retention through our employer councils. We can be the advocates who encourage and foster belonging environments that are affirmative, adaptive, and supportive of women and minorities at all levels of their education and career and which offer programs that are culturally relevant and accessible within their own communities. (3) Visit the AAUW website (2) for more information on actions we can take to help close the cap and share your ideas for programs and initiatives with the STEM Outreach and Diversity & Inclusion Committees. We want to hear from you!
- https://www.census.gov/library/stories/2021/01/women‐making‐gains‐in‐stem‐occupations‐ but‐still‐underrepresented.html
- https://www.aauw.org/resources/research/the‐stem‐gap/
- https://edsource.org/2023/building‐a‐culture‐of‐belonging‐is‐key‐to‐keeping‐diverse‐girls‐in‐ stem‐pipeline/690128