5039783 - 1

Changing Times, Breaking Barriers

Despite the closing gender gap, we will never hear someone say “male astronaut”—it’s

just “astronaut.” It’s never “men doctors” but frequently “women doctors”—or just their first

name with no professional title at all. The fields of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering,

and Mathematics) have been plagued by this phenomenon for centuries, with the divide most

prominent throughout many pivotal historical moments. Rosalind Franklin’s 1953 discovery of

DNA structure was stolen by Jim Watson and Francis Crick, who took credit for her revelation

and earned the Nobel Prize for her work. The achievements of Katherine Goble Johnson,

Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Jackson, three African-American mathematicians who worked at

NASA during the heat of the Space Race, were hard-earned as they fought through blatant

sexism and racism in 1960s Virginia. For women in engineering, this has been no different. As

professionals who employ highly technical and analytical skills in nearly every sector of life,

females in these disciplines face the challenges of preconceived biases and a lack of visible role

models in the field to follow and respect. Even though women comprise one-third of the STEM

workforce, they account for less than one-fifth of engineers. Through my own experiences

discovering my love for the field and navigating the challenges that come with it, I’ve learned

the value of community and collaboration with other women and how a lack of resources is

inhibiting future generations of girls from learning about the subject early on. This understanding

and circumstance prompt me to ask: How can society encourage greater female involvement in

engineering?

Throughout history, women have been vastly underrepresented and oppressed in STEM

occupations. In 1970, women only made up 8% of STEM workers in the U.S., and in 2019, this

number only increased to 27% (Martinez). The disproportionate ratio demonstrates the
 5039783 - 2

staggering failure of the nation to uplift and support girls and women to pursue careers and

higher education in these fields. Despite gains in social equity and civil rights, parity in STEM

occupations has largely been limited over the past few decades. Particularly in engineering

disciplines, female representation in academic and professional paths is lacking, even more so

than in other scientific and mathematical studies. In 2019, women accounted for “48% of life

scientists and 65% of social scientists but only 35% of physical scientists and 26% of computer

and mathematical scientists. Representation of women [was] the lowest in engineering (16%)

among the major occupational categories in S&E [science and engineering]” (Okrent). These

numbers display an unfortunate reality that women lack the role models and resources needed to

become interested in and choose to pursue engineering as a viable career, even when placed

against other STEM fields of varying similarities in nature. And yet, for those who do decide to

enter an engineering major and profession, the oppression and discrimination they face in the

workplace only strengthen the barriers in the gender divide that many already encounter. Per the

Pew Research Center, “Women in STEM jobs are much more likely than men in such jobs to say

they have experienced discrimination at work because of their gender and to consider

discrimination a major reason that more women are not working in STEM” (Funk). The added

stressors of issues like the wage gap and possible sexual harassment reinforce the difficult

circumstances the few women in engineering face, often alone, and serve as reasons to encourage

greater female involvement in the industry. The value of engineering as a discipline fundamental

to every aspect of life requires diversity in the workforce and brainpower behind it—women

must have greater representation and equality in these fields. Gender parity must be achieved to

ensure equitable representation and access for current and future generations of engineers.
 5039783 - 3

A central factor for the underrepresentation of women in STEM and engineering fields is

the inequitable and limiting social expectations placed on young girls starting from an early age.

Starting in elementary and middle school, girls begin to struggle with the conflicting norms they

experience from their teachers and peers. In their personal lives, parents “tend to talk more about

spatial relations and use spatial language with boys than girls,” and those from “high-income

families are more likely to reinforce the belief that boys are more capable and interested in math

and science, investing in opportunities for their sons compared to daughters” (“Early Barriers”).

The home environment that children are raised in heavily influences the way they see themselves

and their place in society when listening to trusted adults, so when these caretakers perpetuate

ideas of suitable careers based on gender, youth begin to adopt these beliefs as their own. Per a

2011 study completed by psychologists at the University of Washington using Implicit

Association Tests and explicit self-reported measures, “six- to ten-year-old children have been

shown to hold the stereotype that math is for boys, with male participants identifying more

strongly with math on both types of measure” (Cvencek), despite “meta-analytic evidence that

suggests that girls and boys do not, in fact, perform differently in measures of math ability”

(Lindberg). When kids begin to assume these erroneous perspectives that diminish the potential

and success of female-identifying students in math and other STEM subjects starting in

elementary school, their motivations and engagement in these fields are impacted as adolescents.

By the time they reach college, many girls have lost interest in STEM and are thus less

represented in higher education, because traditional and outdated gender roles play a large role in

the lowered confidence of girls in their academic abilities (Shapiro). This reflects the classroom

environment as well, affecting their grades directly in school: teachers, “who are predominantly

women in early education and elementary schools… often have anxiety about math that they
 5039783 - 4

pass on to girls… and grade girls harder for the same work and assume girls need to work harder

to achieve at the same level as boys” (“Early Barriers”). Girls also self-assess lower than their

male counterparts with similar achievements, showing how the flawed stories they hear at home

and at school inflict harm on their self-confidence and trust in their abilities. Challenging social

norms and erroneous expectations contribute to the continued misrepresentation in engineering

and the unwillingness of young women to enter the field in the first place, which is only

exacerbated by the difficulties they face once they have done so.

Shannon Connolly, the Assistant Director of Mathnasium of Walnut Creek—an

educational math enrichment center for students K-12—detailed in a personal interview both her

experiences studying mathematics at universities across the nation and working with children to

teach them this fundamental life skill. While earning her bachelor’s in statistics from the

University of California, Davis, she noticed that “there were a lot of girls majoring in STEM who

would leave in the first year or two … but I didn't see guys moving out of STEM at the same

rate— there were some guys who were leaving also for majors like business, but it wasn’t the

same” (Connolly). With what she observed, she concluded that “the reason men don’t move out

of STEM at the same rate women do is because they’re not willing to lose that part of their

identity. It’s more painful to them … whereas for girls I would say there's less shame in pursuing

something like education.” Connolly’s insight exposes issues innate to societal perceptions of

male versus female performance in academics, that there is a problem surrounding the culture of

how the world measures success for men compared to women. At the elementary level, this

begins to impact children’s views of the world, based on the information they are presented with

and the observations they make on their own. As Connolly described: “Society moves maybe a

little more slowly than we would like it to. So if, you know, Mom gets you an Astronaut
 5039783 - 5

Barbie—which is great—but then, the kid notices that Mom has more time because she works

something other than a nine-to-five, since Mom has to take care of the kids and Dad is the

engineer. That’s not going to go unnoticed even by small children.” Connolly’s views echo

research highlighting that family dynamics determine, at least partially, the careers that young

girls and women choose for themselves. The significance of proper education and support in

STEM subjects outside of the home is indisputable, especially for students who lack direct role

models in these fields.

The lack of practical engineering instruction in elementary and secondary school, coupled

with sexist workplace environments, leads to lesser enrollment of women in collegiate

engineering, ultimately leading to fewer female engineers in the workforce altogether. A study

by the National Center for Education Statistics of the Department of Education cited that

“proportionally more females than males left STEM fields by switching to a non-STEM major

(32 percent vs. 26 percent)” after entering bachelor’s programs in STEM subjects (Chen).

Reasons behind this discrepancy arise from differences in the reasons men and women choose to

enter science and engineering in the first place, as innate versus external motivations. Women are

nearly twice as likely as men to choose an engineering or science major through the active

influence of someone close, such as a relative or teacher, while men were twice as likely as

women to cite their success in STEM during high school as a reason for declaring the

major—even if they were less prepared than women—suggesting that more young men were

confident enough to take higher-level math and stem classes in college (Committee on

Maximizing the Potential of Women). Intrinsic incentives to study STEM are lesser for women,

despite their equal performance in math and science, and thus result in greater exit rates from

undergraduate programs for many, as the notion of “imposter syndrome” lurks in the backs of
 5039783 - 6

their minds, undermining their self-confidence in their academic abilities. Ostracism from their

peers and professors doesn’t help either: in a longitudinal study of 700 engineering students

across four schools, many female students reported being “relegated to doing routine managerial

and secretarial jobs” and “excluded from the ‘real’ engineering work” when working with male

classmates (Silbey). Similarly, during internships and summer jobs, “men were assigned

interesting problem-solving tasks where they could develop their analytic and technical skills,

while women were often assigned jobs sorting papers, copying, collecting equipment, writing

notes, and coordinating,” tasks that did not value or cultivate their skills (Silbey). Assignments

like these that demean the training and education that women have as engineers serve as clear

indicators for why more females leave the field than males. The toxicity in both academia and

industry only hurt society as a whole, by taking away bright and innovative minds that could

have otherwise contributed to improving fundamental aspects of human life and technology. It is

critical that workplaces make efforts to improve these deficits, through proper training and

greater opportunities for women in their companies. When men support their female colleagues,

gender inequity is reclassified as an organizational mandate rather than a women’s issue. By

promoting and formally recognizing research conducted by their peers, and developing

meaningful responses to the common forms of resistance to gender equity, men are able to take

greater steps in assessing their implicit bias toward women in engineering and correcting their

explicit actions to match their new learnings (“How Women in Engineering”). Giving women

greater leadership and hiring positions will also ensure that new generations of workforces are

diverse and equitable in representation, and flexible working conditions and maternal leave will

promote continued persistence in remaining in an engineering profession through major life

 5039783 - 7

changes. Workplaces have the power to make these decisions—ones necessary for the greater

good in this modern world.

Ashley Chu, the President of the Society of Women Engineers at UC Berkeley, revealed

in a wide-ranging interview some of the deep-set issues regarding the way society has and

continues to treat this topic, and how we can take steps to improve it. As someone with extensive

experience in electrical engineering and computer science, both academically and in the industry

through internships and professional programs, Chu spoke candidly about her personal

background with her introduction to her field of study and the work she does now in her

positions. When asked about the reasons for the gender divide in engineering, Chu referenced

“stereotypes that were built with what toys we play with—like generally in the past, people who

were non-female were given Legos to play with, and instead, girls were given other toys and

things like that.” The assignments and expectations of the types of activities children are exposed

to explain some of the baseline stereotypes that develop surrounding who can succeed in STEM.

Chu also explained how, based on her experiences talking to other members of the Society of

Women Engineers, women “struggle to find role models and peers in the field and industry

because of the difficult barriers to enter it.” Her personal experience with these scenarios

demonstrates the importance of early education and access to engineering for all students,

especially those who identify as female. When asked about why youth aren’t encouraged as

much to learn about engineering and become interested in its many disciplines, she commented:

The education system as a whole isn't really equipped to prepare students and give them

access to engineering resources. I feel like we only learn about math and science in

school really, and then unless you have someone who works in tech in your family or
 5039783 - 8

you're in a city that has a lot of tech resources, then you don't really get access to learning

what engineering is and how you can fit yourself in that space. (Chu)

Chu’s insight demonstrates the value of solutions like elementary instruction and greater access

to female mentors and connections within the field, starting with students themselves. When

older youth are able to effectively mentor and guide their younger peers to pursue careers in

engineering disciplines, the role models become real, tangible people that children can look up

to. The message of collaboration and empowerment Chu presented shows the necessity of a

continuous cycle to support women and girls in STEM, from those of all ages.

Though the gap is closing, more can always be done to better support girls and women in

engineering. Greater presentation and instruction of engineering disciplines in K-12 education

are vital to ensure that students are aware of the possibilities within these areas, through both

curricula built into core science and math classes and extracurricular events aimed at making

these lessons more exciting and applicable to everyday life. Alliance through support networks

ensures that female-identifying engineers have the peer and faculty reliance they need to succeed

in an already technical and challenging area of study, while also providing personal experiences

and knowledge to navigate sexist and demeaning organizational climates. Society as a whole

needs to take steps toward breaking down these barriers for children, teens, and university

students alike—media advertisements must portray equality and diversity in all academic

subjects; schools must provide more opportunities for youth to engage in hands-on learning

about engineering disciplines and what it means to be an engineer; and professional men and

women already in the industry must continue to share their success and collaboration with one

another to ensure equity in workplace environments. In an ever-changing and progressing world,

 5039783 - 9

gender parity is one step humankind has yet to achieve, and efforts to do so in STEM and

engineering disciplines will begin to bridge this gap in rightful and innovative ways.
 5039783 - 10

Works Cited

Chen, Xianglei. “STEM Attrition: College Students’ Paths Into and Out of STEM Fields.” U.S.

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, 2013. National Center for Education Statistics,

https://nces.ed.gov/pubs2014/2014001rev.pdf. Accessed 17 March 2023.

Cheng, Amy. Lego pledges to make toys more gender-neutral and eliminate stereotypes after

global survey. ProQuest; eLibrary, 10/12 2021,

https://explore.proquest.com/elibrary/document/2581109146?accountid=193803.

Chu, Ashley. President of the Society of Women Engineers. Personal Interview. 5 March 2023.

Committee on Maximizing the Potential of Women in Academic Science and Engineering;

Committee on Science, Engineering, and Public Policy. Beyond Bias and Barriers:

Fulfilling the Potential of Women in Academic Science and Engineering. National

Academies Press, 2007. Accessed 6 March 2023.

Connolly, Shannon. Assistant Director at Mathnasium of Walnut Creek. Personal Interview. 20

March 2023.

Cvencek D, Meltzoff AN, Greenwald AG. Math-gender stereotypes in elementary school

children. Child Dev. 2011 May-Jun;82(3):766-79. doi:

10.1111/j.1467-8624.2010.01529.x. Epub 2011 Mar 9. PMID: 21410915. Accessed 7

March 2023.

“Early Barriers to Girls & Women in STEM.” American Association of University Women,

https://www.aauw.org/resources/article/fast-facts-stem/. Accessed 6 March 2023.

“Employment.” Society of Women Engineers, https://swe.org/research/2022/employment/.

Accessed 6 March 2023.

 5039783 - 11

“Employment in STEM Occupations: U.S.” Bureau of Labor Statistics, 8 September 2022,

https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables/stem-employment.htm. Accessed 6 March 2023.

“Engaging Girls in STEM - Science (CA Dept of Education).” California Department of

Education, https://www.cde.ca.gov/pd/ca/sc/engaginggirlsinstem.asp. Accessed 6 March

2023.

“How Women in Engineering Proudly Raise Their Flag.” Ohio University,

https://onlinemasters.ohio.edu/blog/women-in-engineering/. Accessed 6 March 2023.

Lindberg SM, Hyde JS, Petersen JL, Linn MC. New trends in gender and mathematics

performance: a meta-analysis. Psychol Bull. 2010 Nov;136(6):1123-35. doi:

10.1037/a0021276. PMID: 21038941; PMCID: PMC3057475. Accessed 8 March 2023.

Machovec, Christine. “Women and Girls in Growing STEM Jobs | U.S. Department of Labor

Blog.” DOL Blog, 10 February 2022,

https://blog.dol.gov/2022/02/10/women-and-girls-in-growing-stem-jobs. Accessed 6

March 2023.

Martinez, Anthony, and Cheridan Christnacht. “Women Making Gains in STEM Occupations but

Still Underrepresented.” U.S. Census Bureau, 26 January 2021,

https://www.census.gov/library/stories/2021/01/women-making-gains-in-stem-occupation

s-but-still-underrepresented.html. Accessed 6 March 2023.

Okrent, Abigail, and Amy Burke. “The STEM Labor Force of Today: Scientists, Engineers, and

Skilled Technical Workers | NSF - National Science Foundation.” National Center for

Science and Engineering Statistics, 31 August 2021,

https://ncses.nsf.gov/pubs/nsb20212#utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery.

Accessed 6 March 2023.

 5039783 - 12

Shapiro, J.R., Williams, A.M. The Role of Stereotype Threats in Undermining Girls’ and

Women’s Performance and Interest in STEM Fields. Sex Roles 66, 175–183 (2012).

https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-011-0051-0. Accessed 6 March 2023.

Silbey, Susan S. “Why Do So Many Women Who Study Engineering Leave the Field?” Harvard

Business Review, 23 August 2016,

https://hbr.org/2016/08/why-do-so-many-women-who-study-engineering-leave-the-field.

Accessed 6 March 2023.