Where are the Girls in STEM in 2021?

Educate a girl in STEM, change the world.

In 2020, we saw success stories, such as the TIME Kid of the Year, honoring the brilliant young 15-year old scientist and inventor Gitanjali Rao. May her story inspires young people, boys, and girls, to pursue science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) studies and careers!

STEM Statistics

At the same time, we saw discouraging statistics about girls and women in STEM:

(1) The AAUW found that girls and women are systematically tracked away from science and math throughout their educations, limiting their training and options to go into these fields as adults.

(2) Girls are overwhelmingly interested in STEM according to the Girl Scouts. What causes the shift in their interest? Without encouragement from role models or mentors, they shift their focus away from STEM.

(3) Research suggests that the gender gap in STEM continues: “While women constitute almost 50% of the labor market, there are only 28% of women in STEM fields as opposed to 72% of men.”

(4) There will be 3.5 million unfilled #cybersecurity jobs globally by 2021, up from one million positions in 2014.

These percentages are not in sync. As a result, we have a gender gap in STEM, and in particular, cybersecurity.

Solutions

How do we give young women the confidence to get more involved in STEM fields?

In The Princeton Review, Wellesley math professor Ismar Volic gave his perspective, stating that young women “should not be intimidated. STEM involves learning how to break down a problem, analyze it, and solve it in a systematic way. This is not really about calculation — it’s about critical thinking.”

As a cyber subject matter expert, I am keenly aware of the shortage of available talent needed to fight #cyberattacks in 2021 and beyond. We need to inspire more students to consider STEM studies and careers. Some of these students will become much-needed cybersecurity experts in the future.

In 2021, we will see more programs to promote this cause. For example, in summer 2021, NASA will offer Girls in STEM, a one-day virtual event designed to inspire middle-school students to pursue STEM fields. The event features women working in STEM fields at NASA Glenn, engaging STEM activities, and tours of NASA Glenn’s facilities. 

This program is one small step … in the right direction.

Image by Alan 9187 on Pixabay

Disclaimer

This blog post is made available for informational purposes and is not intended to be a substitute for professional or legal advice. No attorney-client relationship is formed or implied between you and the author or the website publisher.