The field of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) has often been acknowledged as the main reason for modern development and swift economic growth. It is credited for drastically changing people's lifestyle by introducing simple devices like smartphones and ground-breaking technology such as solar energy. Yet, while STEM has always welcomed innovation with open arms, we see that those arms seem to close when women reach for an embrace.
The inclusion of women in STEM industries is not for social reasons or equality, it's the contribution they make that helps enhance and improve these industries. They bring a myriad of things to the table like decision-making skills, a different perspective and an abundance of creativity. However, whilst awareness of gender inequality has increased over the years, girls still face social and cultural barriers in making their mark and participating in the STEM world. According to the 2024 I wish report, a survey recording the involvement of girls in the STEM domain,84% of girls were interested in pursuing education or careers in STEM. Unfortunately, due to social and cultural barriers, the expression of interest does not usually translate to participation. The question therefore stands: is STEM too cool for girls, or is it girls that are too cool for STEM?
Too many girls and women are held back due to societal norms, biases and expectations that affect the quality of education they deserve or get.
According to a UNESCO article, women make up only 35% of STEM graduates, and this figure has been at a standstill for the last 10 years. In the UK and EEA, only 41% of scientists were female, even though women accounted for 47% of the total working population. Frontier Economic states that about 5 countries had above 50% of their scientists be women in 2021 (Norway, Lithuania, Bulgaria, Denmark and Iceland), with other countries like the United States at 24%, Japan at 16%, and India at 14% all having less than 25% women working in STEM affiliated organizations. This problem is just not societal or gender related, it also massively affects economic growth. A study by the World Bank found that countries with the most gender- equal economies experience an average annual GDP growth rate of 0.8 percentage points more than non-gender-equal economies. In the I wish survey that was conducted in 2024, it was seen that in Ireland, only 16 % of women were part of building and civil engineering courses and 12% in mechanics and metal trade.
The I WISH report showcases that women are eager to learn and contribute, but that this eagerness rarely translates into participation. One of the reasons is the lack of visibility of prominent female role models in the domain. Around 7% of young girls in Ireland feel there is a lack of role models and representation. Having a female role model in the domain usually builds confidence among students, and the lack of representation causes hesitation to choose a career. In this field, this problem isn't limited to an educational scenario; we can see in the work environment that men seem to outnumber women. The problem isn't just the lack of interest, it is the lack of opportunities and encouragement.
One of the primary causes of gender inequality in STEM is cultural stereotypes. These stereotypes have been instilled from a very young age, such as when boys are given toys and clothes that are on the practical side, like building blocks and sports equipment, whereas girls are given clothes and toys that are nurturing and pretty, like baby dolls and kitchen sets. These stereotypes might develop more as they grow up, and by the time they reach an age where they are deciding on a career, stereotyping around girls lacking practicality means that these same girls may be underconfident or discouraged from taking up a career in science or maths. These cultural stereotypes are significant in education as well. Some girls' schools don't have practical subjects like computer science, woodwork, metalwork, and some boys' schools don't offer home economics. The schools’ curricula subconsciously gives in to the bias that boys are more skilled in practical subjects, hence, granting them more exposure to these subjects and increasing access for them to pursue careers in areas like engineering and technology. Similar biases lead girls to be exposed to courses such as home economics under an assumption of nurturing tendencies, hence encouraging the pursuit of careers such as nursing and teaching.
The early exposure to such cultural stereotypes causes a lack of confidence among young women to pursue a career in the STEM field, with around 53 % of women lacking confidence in pursuing a career in STEM, and 50% lacking self-confidence in their ability in STEM subjects. Another issue is a lack of female role models in STEM, which means girls have no one to look up to or aspire to be, and there are fewer guiding mentors. Family and social expectations also act as barriers, as family members, under societal pressure, may not be supportive of women pursuing non-traditional subjects like maths and physics.
A recent study from PwC showed that only 16% of female students had received encouragement to study in tech as opposed to 33% of male students. This statistic shows us that despite having an interest and intent of participation, there is very little encouragement for girls to pursue a career in STEM, hence this leads to “impostor syndrome” where girls, despite performing well academically in STEM subjects, feel like they don’t belong. With classes like metalwork and engineering being designed to cater to men, the environment may be unwelcoming, or girls might feel isolated. If girls do gather courage and decide to bravely pursue a career in STEM, the hiring and interview process in STEM companies may act like a roadblock. Women who go to interviews are judged before they even start speaking. Some people have the view that if they hire a woman in their company, they may have to deal with frequent breaks like maternity leave, or the candidate might demand a flexible working style and hours. It is disheartening to see that women are held to different standards as opposed to men; women have to face harsher questions regarding marriage and pregnancy, where it is rarely the case for male candidates. Even if women do manage to get a job in a STEM role, they have to deal with an unwelcoming work environment where they are constantly being overlooked, mocked and isolated in a male-dominated team. Only one in 4 women work in STEM, and about 24 % of women are in leadership roles. Women are no less capable than men in STEM, but external factors are leading to women being excluded and reinforcing the gender gap.
Research has shown that a team with people from different genders, religions and countries perform well especially in high-pressure challenges and product development; with a diverse team, a group can meet the needs of more consumers and understand their problems and complaints better.
Closing the gender gap in STEM can lead to huge economic growth in society. Recent EU research estimated that by 2050, a better gender balance could lead to an increase in GDP per capita. Reducing the gender gap and striving for gender equality could lead to an increase of up to 3% in GDP per capita and an increase in employment of 1.2 million jobs. A more diverse and inclusive workforce would include an induction of skilled female workers, which would cause an increase in employment, productivity and output. Gender equity can cause diversity and inclusion, leading to more innovative solutions to challenges. Women bring the ability to ask difficult questions and focus on problems that are being overlooked. Excluding half the population from STEM is preventing it from reaching its best potential and causing the slowing of technological progress. Gender equality in STEM is not simply just a social issue or the moral thing to do, it’s a way of advancing more quickly to provide innovative technologies to the world.
There is no one solution to bridge the gender gap in STEM. A combination of a shift in cultural norms, support provided by educational institutes and industries having unbiased gender policies might help close the gender gap. Early STEM engagement really helps in boosting the confidence of young girls. Girls-only STEM clubs can be established as an after-school activity where students engage with simple science experiments and technology, or competitions promoting female involvement in STEM can be arranged so that they can get a chance to exhibit their abilities and talent, as well as learn new concepts. With a distinct lack of female role models in STEM, it would help inspire young girls if women working in STEM were highlighted in the media and were part of classroom material. Gender audits need to be conducted in STEM industries and education; some of these laws and guidelines need to be updated and be more supportive of women entering this field. More scholarships and grants for STEM education need to be given by universities, especially for courses where female representatives are very low, like mechanical engineering and computer sciences. In the workplace, policies regarding maternity leave need to be more flexible and comfortable so that women can easily settle in when they come back to work. Bias training needs to be introduced where the employees can identify biased treatment if it ever occurs to them or someone else in the organisation. Implementing some of these long term changes will really help improve the gender ratio in STEM in the coming years.
American actress Nichell Nichols once said: “Science is not a boy’s game, it’s not a girl’s game. It’s everyone’s game.” For STEM to be everyone’s game, both genders need to be provided equal opportunities to showcase their talent and abilities in the field and be seen for the work they do, not for what gender they are. Once gender inequality stops being a major hindrance in STEM, we will be able to see the maximum potential the field possesses to change the world. For too long, the narrative in society has suggested that STEM is too cool for girls. However, it’s clear that when we include girls in STEM, the field becomes more exciting, innovative, and progressive. It’s time that STEM becomes worthy of girls instead of girls becoming worthy of STEM.
