By Thea Voutiritsas
While K-12 female and male students, in general, perform equally well on math and science in standardized tests, studies show that the rates of science and engineering course taking for women and girls begins to curtail around the beginning of higher education.
Women make up half of the total U.S. college educated workforce, but only make up about 29 percent of workers in science and engineering fields. Women are wildly underrepresented in all STEAM fields (science, technology, engineering, the arts, and math).
- 35.2% of chemists are women;
- 11.1% of physicists and astronomers are women;
- 33.8% of environmental engineers are women;
- 22.7% of chemical engineers are women;
- 17.5% of civil, architectural, and sanitary engineers are women;
- 17.1% of industrial engineers are women;
- 10.7% of electrical or computer hardware engineers are women; and
- 7.9% of mechanical engineers are women.
So, what can we do? Let’s talk about it. Let’s do the research. Let’s spotlight the role models. Don’t miss our Wiki Women Edit-A-Thon this Saturday in the Miller Nichols Library iX Theater, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Snacks will be provided.