Female Representation in Professional Courses

While women make up half of the total college-educated workforce in the U.S. only 34% of the workforce in STEM sectors is female. When looking towards the next generation of knowledge workers, a recent Gallup poll found that male members of Gen Z in the U.S. are more interested in #STEM fields than their female counterparts, particularly in engineering, computers, and technology, where the gender gaps are a significant 28 percentage points each. One of the main drivers in this gender gap? Confidence. While young boys and girls are about equally likely to express disinterest in STEM, confidence in one’s own ability differs significantly by gender. Two guesses on which gender that is. Gen Z girls are nearly 20 points more likely than boys to say they are not interested in a STEM career because they don’t think they would be good at it. Addressing this confidence disparity is crucial at a foundational level. Like the opinion piece notes, boosting young girls' interest in STEM and enhancing their representation is vital on so many levels – for strengthening the economy, mitigating the gender pay-gap, and enlarging the pool of qualified candidates for in-demand STEM roles.

What can astronomists in Australia teach us about gender equity? When I give talks, one question is almost guaranteed to come up, and it's this: what can we as an organisation do to improve female representation in our company? A new paper, which details how the ARC Centre of Excellence for All Astrophysics in 3 Dimensions (Astro 3D) went from 38% women to 50% in less than six years, gives us some answers. Looking at research, they adopted a series of evidence-based steps. The key steps included: setting diversity targets with regular monitoring of progress selecting a diverse set of team leaders in-person diversity training for all organisation members ensuring 50% women on postdoctoral selection committees ensuring 50% women on postdoctoral short-lists. Has your company done any of this? Link to paper in comments!

UN Women statement for the International Day for Women and Girls in Science 💬 "The promise of science is one of positive change for gender equality. Take the case of Natacha Sangwa, one of a number of young high school graduates in Rwanda who attended a UN Women-supported coding camp. Using robotics and next-generation technologies, she created a prototype to help her community respond to climate change. She told us: 'One of the ideas I developed through this programme was to build a mechanized irrigation system to enhance productivity and yields in rural areas' and that she had resolved to do all she could to increase the representation of women and girls in technology. Over the next 30 years, the majority of the world’s new workers may well be on the African continent, where 60% of the population, like Natacha, is currently under 25. Skills in science, technology, engineering, and maths (STEM) will play an important role in the jobs of their future - and across the world. We need to invest in this opportunity - in young women in every country - ensuring that they have the right skills for these jobs and that they are not held back by negative stereotypes and discrimination. And we need to ensure that current and future workplaces are environments that attract, retain, and advance women scientists. Both representation and retention of women are essential for the science and digital technology sectors to be more creative, innovative, and profitable, reflecting issues that matter to women. Currently, women remain significantly underrepresented, making up just 29.2% of all STEM workers, compared to 49.3% across non-STEM occupations." #WomenInSTEM #GirlsInSTEM #STEMGems #GiveGirlsRoleModels https://lnkd.in/epEPYKNy

If you could do it all again, would you choose a degree if you knew only 28% of the graduates were women? #womeninengineering #womeninstem   In 2006, I started my undergraduate studies and I chose Engineering, Economics & Management. I had always been more of a STEM student so it felt natural to choose engineering (after considering medicine for a while).   However, having gone to a girls secondary school, the change to being the only girl in my year in my university college was an experience! I wasn't the only one who was in the minority. Other female engineering students in other colleges and universities were also in the minority.   Surprisingly, I wasn't put off by any of this. Perhaps because my dad studied engineering or my twin was also on the same course.   However, as time progressed, the gap in representation became more apparent. I only had 1 female engineering lecturer throughout the 4 years at university. When I was graduating in 2010, only 10.5% of engineers in the UK were women (according to EngineeringUK). The lack of #rolemodels was very visible.   Why does all of this matter?   Yesterday (11 February) was International Day of Women and Girls in Science. We've made progress BUT according to the UN, "despite a shortage of skills in most of the technological fields driving the Fourth Industrial Revolution, women still account for only 28% of engineering graduates and 40% of graduates in computer science and informatics." And only 22% of professionals in #artificialintelligence are women.   In a world where #stem plays such a key role in shaping almost everything we do, addressing this gap in representation is important in ensuring we design and develop solutions that work for all. I regularly #mentor school students considering studying engineering or starting a career in engineering, and many still question their ability to succeed because they can't see many others like them. That's why programmes offered by Royal Academy of Engineering (including their Engineering Leadership Awards of which I was a lucky recipient) and many others are part of the solution; they facilitate programmes and platforms that allow greater insight into careers in engineering, and the many other professions you can succeed in using engineering skills.   Although I'm no longer in engineering, I do think consulting applies a similar skillset - #problemsolving. Hopefully yesterday serves as a reminder of the work we all need to do every day to continue to encourage girls/women into STEM studies and professions, and create the environments conducive to retaining the great talent.   #wealthmanagement #womeninleadership #careerdevelopment #representationmatters #universityofoxford

For too long, women have been underrepresented in medicine. But change is happening. Seeing Ross University School of Medicine and American University of the Caribbean lead the way, graduating 5x as many female MDs as the average U.S. med school and driving greater representation in healthcare, is both powerful and motivating. Meanwhile, Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine continues to fuel a profession where women are not just the majority, but are redefining leadership and clinical excellence in veterinary medicine. As more women step into leadership roles, we’re witnessing real progress and accelerating action toward a more inclusive future.