Sue V. Rosser
- Published in print:
- 2012
- Published Online:
- March 2016
- ISBN:
- 9780814776452
- eISBN:
- 9780814771525
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- NYU Press
- DOI:
- 10.18574/nyu/9780814776452.003.0001
- Subject:
- Sociology, Gender and Sexuality
This introductory chapter provides an overview of women in the science, engineering, technology, and mathematics (STEM) workforce. During the last three decades, the overall percentage of women ...
More
This introductory chapter provides an overview of women in the science, engineering, technology, and mathematics (STEM) workforce. During the last three decades, the overall percentage of women receiving degrees in STEM has increased dramatically. This increase tends to mask at least three aspects of the demographics of the science and technology workforce. First, when data represent U.S. and immigrant scientists only, and are not disaggregated by gender, they mask the decrease in the number of U.S. white men in STEM. Second, the aggregated data mask the wide variance of women's participation among fields in STEM. Finally, aggregated data mask the disintegration of women at every phase of the educational and career STEM program. Thus, this book argues that unless more men of color and women enter the science and engineering workforce, the United States will not produce the number of scientists and engineers it needs to sustain its workforce without importing them from other countries.Less
This introductory chapter provides an overview of women in the science, engineering, technology, and mathematics (STEM) workforce. During the last three decades, the overall percentage of women receiving degrees in STEM has increased dramatically. This increase tends to mask at least three aspects of the demographics of the science and technology workforce. First, when data represent U.S. and immigrant scientists only, and are not disaggregated by gender, they mask the decrease in the number of U.S. white men in STEM. Second, the aggregated data mask the wide variance of women's participation among fields in STEM. Finally, aggregated data mask the disintegration of women at every phase of the educational and career STEM program. Thus, this book argues that unless more men of color and women enter the science and engineering workforce, the United States will not produce the number of scientists and engineers it needs to sustain its workforce without importing them from other countries.
Sue V. Rosser
- Published in print:
- 2012
- Published Online:
- March 2016
- ISBN:
- 9780814776452
- eISBN:
- 9780814771525
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- NYU Press
- DOI:
- 10.18574/nyu/9780814776452.003.0003
- Subject:
- Sociology, Gender and Sexuality
This chapter discusses the importance of mentors for women seeking a career in science, engineering, technology, and mathematics (STEM). Research documents that most women and under-represented ...
More
This chapter discusses the importance of mentors for women seeking a career in science, engineering, technology, and mathematics (STEM). Research documents that most women and under-represented minorities in STEM point to an encouraging teacher or role model who proved crucial in their decision to enter and remain in STEM. Male mentors are as important as women mentors in guiding women in science. Male mentors can provide access to a broader network of colleagues and contacts; women mentors can provide the answer on how to juggle domestic duties with work at the lab. Moreover, male mentors and professors can play a key role in building confidence in women and signaling their acceptance of them as valid members of the profession. Thus, the chapter features positive comments or behaviors from male mentors that hold the potential to further the careers of women scientists and engineers.Less
This chapter discusses the importance of mentors for women seeking a career in science, engineering, technology, and mathematics (STEM). Research documents that most women and under-represented minorities in STEM point to an encouraging teacher or role model who proved crucial in their decision to enter and remain in STEM. Male mentors are as important as women mentors in guiding women in science. Male mentors can provide access to a broader network of colleagues and contacts; women mentors can provide the answer on how to juggle domestic duties with work at the lab. Moreover, male mentors and professors can play a key role in building confidence in women and signaling their acceptance of them as valid members of the profession. Thus, the chapter features positive comments or behaviors from male mentors that hold the potential to further the careers of women scientists and engineers.
