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Approaching Equality

With great opportunity comes great responsibility. This phrase resonates with the

essential scene in every generic superhero movie: the mentor tries to convince her journey-worn

student to accept his role as savior and sacrifice his desires for the greater good. Only then will

he live out his destiny as a defender of humanity.

It may come as no surprise that Im no hero. Still, these words of wisdom fell upon my

ears one Saturday morning in a scarcely occupied school gymnasium. Bright lights illuminated

the glossy wooden floors and quiet, not silence, filled every vacancy. Gathered in a circle at the

center of it all were my teammates and I, listening attentively to the much-anticipated speech of

our head coach. He delivered his message deliberately to ensure that each of his players

internalized his words: he expectedno, he demandedgreat things from each of us because he

knew who we are.

We are young women who occupy an enviable position in our society. We have been

afforded every opportunity. We attend a remarkable school and have the chance to do anything

we want after graduation. We can be doctors, teachers, lawyers, andhe added with a pointed

look in my directionengineers. The barriers that once held women back have been paved over

by our predecessors. We have no more excuses. We cannot blame society for our failings, our

shortcomings. It is our responsibility to excel, to make our own advancements and contributions,

purely because we can.

Theoretically, there is nothing limiting womens achievements. Yet, in the United

States there is a wage gap between the sexes. Women are underrepresented among business

executives, and they are largely outnumbered in the legislature. Recent efforts to encourage girls

to pursue science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) have made it evident that

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these fields lack women as well. As it turns out, although women comprise nearly half of the

workforce, they account for less than a quarter of STEM employees (Beede et al.). As a

prospective female engineer, this situation is of my utmost concern. How is it possible that in

2017, STEM is still dominated by men? What prevents women from taking their place among

the physicists and mathematicians? This unacceptable pattern does not exist without reason.

Therefore, I must investigate: How and why has womens role in STEM changed in recent years?

As my mother and I made our way through the UC San Diego campus, I did my best to

remark the notable features of what could potentially be my future home. I listened meditatively

to the refreshing sounds of fountains that underlay the chatter of the student body. I inhaled both

the tantalizing scent of coffee and the mouthwatering aroma of cooking meat. I stared

dumbfounded at the engineering building where a pastel blue house threatened to plummet from

its perch on the roof of Jacobs Hall. I tried to memorize every detail, every obscurity. I even

attempted to analyze the emotional state of the universitys inhabitants. In my enthusiasm, it

appeared to me that everybody radiated contentment. The one factor I did not bother noting was

gender. Because as far as I could tell, there were just as many men as women on that college

campus.

My estimate was not far off. Statistics published by UC San Diego show that women

comprised 48 percent of the undergraduate students in 2016, leaving men to occupy the

remaining 52 percent (Undergraduate Enrollment Statistics). This aligns with the idea that, at

this point in American society, it is not unusual for a woman to seek a college education. The

U.S. Census Bureau estimates that 60.1 percent of American women have some college

education, compared to 57.6 percent of American men (Ryan and Bauman). For that reason,

gender can easily be overlooked when assessing the demographics of the nations students and

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workforce. Instead, people might pay more attention to factors such as ethnicity, income, and

family size. While these are undeniably important variables to analyze, people cannot simply

ignore the role of gender, especially in regards to STEM. The population at UC San Diego may

be nearly equal between men and women, but that is not the case in all colleges. For example,

the combined data of graduate and undergraduate students at the Massachusetts Institute of

Technology reveals that women only made up 38 percent of the students in 2016 (Diversity

Dashboard). MIT is a renowned university, known for its incredible math and science programs.

Forbes even ranked the institution the Number One STEM College of 2016 (Coudriet). Women

are underrepresented in this formidable STEM school just as they are underrepresented among

the nations STEM workers.

Although the United States has yet to achieve equality among men and women in STEM,

it is approaching equality. The reality is significantly improved from the reality of only a few

decades before. In its surveys, the U.S. Census Bureau shows that women made up only 7

percent of STEM workers in 1970, a figure that doubled in 1980 before rising to 23 percent in

1990. By 2011, women were responsible for 26 percent of all STEM workers (Women in

STEM). Women are still outnumbered three to one, but this is much better than the thirteen to

one ratio of 1970. Still, this evidence does show signs of stagnation. In fact, it agrees with the

findings that between 2000 and 2009, womens share of the STEM workforce remained

constant at 24 percent, while their share of college-educated workers increased from 46 to 49

percent (Beede et al. 2). The situation suggests that although nothing is preventing women from

excelling in higher education, there are factors that inhibit them from pursuing careers in STEM.

One factor appears to be the perception of STEM. Women have a tendency to follow

career paths that are perceived as altruistic and community oriented; they view STEM fields as

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individualistic and isolated. Womens communal goal orientation intersects with beliefs that

STEM careers do not involve helping or working with other people, with the result that even

scientifically talented women frequently choose other careersones they believe will allow

them to fulfill their communal goals (Diekman et al. 1052). Women steer clear of STEM

because they believe they can better serve society in other fields. Those that do join STEM, often

do so after realizing how advancements in science and technology may benefit their community.

In an interview with Andrea Miralles, a Content Analyst and Knowledge Engineer at Yahoo,

Miralles confided, I think that tech is the field of the future. Through technology, I feel that

minorities have been empowered. Tech is giving resources and access to people who otherwise

havent had it. There are large initiatives to bring equality into tech. And I want to be at the front

of it. Her primary reason for pursuing a career in technology is her belief that technology is

creating change in society, helping those who need help most. Before she joined the ranks of

Yahoo employees, Miralles had similar motivations. As a pre-med student at UC Berkeley, she

hoped to one day heal the injured and cure the sick. A desire to help people has always set the

tone for her career decisions.

Surely there are plenty of women who have held Miralles view that advancements in

STEM will benefit communities. Why did these individuals fail to join STEM? Perhaps the

reason is best expressed by Eileen Pollack, author of The Only Woman in the Room: Why

Science is Still a Boys Club. Pollack, a physics major turned writer, notes that the biggest

reason there are so few women in the physical sciences is that there are so few women in the

physical sciences (129). Basically, women are not drawn to math or science because they do not

have role models in these fields. As strong, unyielding women have broken barriers in STEM to

achieve fame in their fields, more women have been willing to follow in their footsteps.

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Consequently, the number of female role models in STEM has increased exponentially. This is

supported by Nobel Prize statistics. Since the awards inception, seventeen women have been

awarded a Nobel Prize in science (one of whom, Marie Curie, was honored twice). Seven of

these cases occurred in the twenty-first century, even though the first Nobel Prize was awarded in

1901 (Nobel Prize Awarded Women). The first Nobel Prize winners, the female pioneers, were

scarce. They were few and far between; their successors were far more numerous. The rate at

which women are receiving Nobel Prizes in science has accelerated. With a new history

indicating that it is within the realm of possibilities, that it is acceptable, more women have

joined the STEM fields.

It was not the lack of women in itself that kept women from joining the STEM fields.

Because STEM is male-dominated, women had to put up with the negative behaviors expected

of men in a sexist society. This point was made in Removing Barriers: Women in Academic

Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics:

In many of the science fields where women are in the minority, they frequently encounter
an unwelcoming or even hostile climate. Aspects of a chilly climate may include
womens being ignored, discriminated against, or sexually harassed. Often, male peers
manifest unwelcoming attitudes and behaviors, making rude and insensitive comments
about and to their female counterparts (Crawford and MacLeod 1990; Seymour 1995).
Frequently women, who are socialized to tolerate inappropriate and even abusive
behavior, make excuses for men (boys will be boys) and respond by ignoring the
behavior (reacting just makes it worse). However, if they are exposed to many such
instances, over time, the accumulation of negative experiences leads many women to
drop out (Pascarella et al. 1997). (Bystydzienski and Bird 8-9)

Women were raised to accept behavior from their male colleagues that would now be considered

entirely unacceptable. It is understandable that many women were not attracted by the idea of

having to tolerate blatant mistreatment day in and day out. To avoid such situations, many

women joined fields where they would not be underrepresented.

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For a more recent reference on this workplace behavior, one need only look further than

Feminist Fight Club by Jessica Bennett. Bennett writes, Recognizing sexism is harder than it

once was todays sexism is insidious, casual, politically correct, even friendly. It is a cant-put-

your-finger-on, not-particularly-overt, hard-to-quantify, harder-even-to-call-out behavior that

maybe isnt necessarily intentional, or conscious Some call this form of sexism Death by a

Thousand Cuts (xxiii). The problems that women face in the workplace are already difficult to

combat because they are difficult to see, but the fight approaches futility when there are few

women in the combatant ranks. Statements such as this clarify the strength in numbers idea

that applies women in STEM. An increase in women employees heightens the chances of

equality in the workplace. These benevolent conditions then create a surge in female employees,

completing the cycle. Before the masses of women come flocking to the STEM industry,

however, those women who are already members must speak out against the inequality they face.

It can be challenging for women to speak out when societal expectations so often play

into womens decision to abandon STEM. Even now, when gender roles are dissolving, the more

dominant view is that women are responsible for keeping house and caring for children. Their

careers are, therefore, secondary responsibilities. So, they abandon their work. Bystydzienski and

Bird note that The most significant obstacle for many women in science and engineering today

is the need to balance career demands and family and personal issues (Bystydzienski and Bird

7). When a woman finds the balancing act of career and family to be altogether strenuous, she

will often prioritize her family. Not all women, however, find the task impossible. With the help

of her husband, Dr. Jin-Sying Lin has always been able to juggle her home and work

responsibilities. As the Vice President of Biostatistics and Data Management at Cerus, a

biomedical products company, Lin has proven herself to be an experienced career woman. With

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two children, ages 18 and 22, she has also proven herself an adept mother. In an interview with

Dr. Lin, she disclosed that she and her husband have shared the domestic chores, allowing them

to both pursue full-time jobs while raising two wonderfully challenging daughters. She

explained, There are some things that maybe I can do better than [my husband] does, and there

are some things he can do better than I do . . . Im hoping for the next generation that with the

family they have that in mind rather than going by gender. Id like to see the individual pick up a

task because they are good at it. Her words reflect the hopes of many modern women.

To create change, people have taken on more active roles. Programs have been

established, institutions have been restructured, and societal opinions have been transformed to

help encourage women to pursue STEM. With a quick online search, one can easily find

countless initiatives to support women. Commercials from companies such as Verizon and

Microsoft promote the same ideas. Just recently, General Electric created a powerful

advertisement entitled, What If Scientists Were Celebrities? In the commercial, Millie

Dresselhaus, the first woman to win the National Medal of Science in Engineering, is treated like

a celebrity and inspires young women everywhere to follow in her footsteps. Companies are

spending thousands of dollars to make an impact with these advertisements. In the journal Gifted

Children Today, Reis and Graham remark on one way that groups walk the talk. Women of the

21st century must not be overlooked in fields in which women continue to be invisible, and their

proposal for correcting this problem is through a networking of gifted girls and mentorship (14).

To help girls enter the STEM fields, organizations are connecting young women with mentors in

mathematics, science, technology and engineering. These individuals get to work with

professionals who show them who they can become. By modelling success and providing access

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to the resources that can help young women achieve it, non-profits and other groups continue to

funnel more women into the STEM fields.

Through my research, I have found that since 1970, there has been a significant increase

of women in STEM. What surprises me most, however, is not how far we have come as a society

but how far we still have to go. Women still account for only about a quarter of STEM

employees. An invisible barrier keeps them from bringing the equal representation they

experience in college into the workforce. The barrier can be accredited to gender roles, historical

disenfranchisement, or sexism; whatever created the barrier appears to be strong and long-

lasting. It is sturdier in some places than in others. In her research, Eileen Pollack found that this

wall was still a major player in womens lives while Dr. Jin-Sying Lin, in her experience, found

it to be almost negligible. Regardless, the wall is being broken down. Each woman that finds a

career in STEM punctures the barrier, and every organization that encourages young women to

pursue STEM acts like a hand grenade.

I am about to embark on my college journey where I plan on majoring in engineering.

Admittedly I am far from my own professional experience, but my own stories show that being a

woman has never held me back from nurturing my love for math and science. Since I have not

experienced that negative feedback from those around me, I believe that I can do whatever I

want to do and be whatever I want to be. I plan to excel, to make my own advancements and

contributions, purely because I can. If I ever encounter the invisible barrier which has prevented

countless women from following their dreams, I hope that I am helping my successors scale that

wall, lifting them up so that they can reach the sky.

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Works Cited

Electronic:

Beede, David, Tiffany Julian, David Langdon, George McKittrick, Beethika Khan, and Mark

Doms. Women in STEM: A Gender Gap to Innovation. Issue brief no. 04-11. U.S.

Department of Commerce, Economics and Statistics Administration, 2011. Social

Science Research Network, poseidon01.ssrn.com/delivery.php?

ID=413074031111070082003086120076031106002054027061023062027094008090012

024030102069124042100017007024022045009096083088017028103039010011061018

092101108093094066072009036003021064117121096089009123029088073069088030

082124010092096085093096101025082&EXT=pdf. Accessed 9 Feb. 2017.

Coudriet, Carter. Top 21 STEM Colleges of 2016. Forbes, Forbes Media LLC, 7 July 2016,

www.forbes.com/sites/cartercoudriet/2016/07/07/top-stem-colleges-of-

2016/#66827ca95ba8. Accessed 13 March 2017.

Diekman, Amanda B., Elizabeth R. Brown, Amanda M. Johnston, and Emily K. Clark. "Seeking

Congruity Between Goals and Roles." Psychological Science 21.8 (2010): 1051-057.

SAGE Journals, journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0956797610377342. Accessed 8

Feb. 2017.

Diversity Dashboard. MIT Office of the Provost, web.mit.edu/ir/pop/diversity.html. Accessed

13 March 2017.

Nobel Prize Awarded Women. Nobelprize.org, Nobel Media AB, 2014,

www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/lists/women.html. Accessed 13 March 2017.

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Reis, Sally M., and Carol Graham. "Needed: Teachers to encourage girls in math, science, and

technology." Gifted Child Today 28.3 (2005): 14-21.

files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ694016.pdf. Accessed 16 March 2017.

Ryan, Camille L., and Kurt Bauman. Educational Attainment in the United States: 2015 The

United States Census Bureau, U.S. Department of Commerce, March 2016,

https://www.census.gov/content/dam/Census/library/publications/2016/demo/p20-

578.pdf. Accessed 23 April 2017.

Undergraduate Enrollment Statistics. UC San Diego: Student Research and Information,

Regents of the University of California, studentresearch.ucsd.edu/stats-

data/enrollment/undergrad.html. Accessed 13 March 2017.

What If Scientists Were Celebrities? YouTube, uploaded by General Electric, 8 Feb. 2017,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQ6_fOX7ITQ.

Women in STEM occupations: 1970 to 2011. The United States Census Bureau, U.S.

Department of Commerce,

www.census.gov/content/dam/Census/newsroom/releases/2013/cb13-

162_stem_female.pdf. Accessed 13 March 2017.

Primary:

Lin, Jin-Sying. Personal Interview. 11 March 2017.

Miralles, Andrea. Personal Interview. 6 March 2017.

Print:

Bennett, Jessica. Introduction: Prepare for Battle. Feminist Fight Club. HarperCollins Publishers,

New York, NY, 2016. Print.

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Bystydzienski, Jill M., and Sharon R. Bird, editors. Introduction. Removing Barriers: Women in

Academic Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics, by Jill M. Bystydzienski

and Sharon R. Bird, Indiana University Press, Bloomington, IN, 2006, pp. 1-19.

Pollack, Eileen. The Only Woman in the Room: Why Science is Still a Boys Club. Beacon Press,

2015. Print.

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