One of Shane Woods’ favorite memories as executive director of GirlStart, a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering girls in science, is that of having his goddaughter as a participant in the organization’s new I took him to the school term festival.
They rushed through activities involving rockets and robots, and on the way home, Woods asked his goddaughter, named Saylor, what she thought of it.
“She said, ‘I’ve always loved science,’ and now she knows she can do it, too,” Woods recalled. “All of a sudden, I didn’t ask about a career. The fact that she has that connection tells us that she already has the realization that ‘I can do it.’ .”
For adults interested in girls like Sailor, the question becomes “how do we maintain that interest?” Woods said.
That is one of the questions and challenges at the heart of this issue. Recently published reports The survey surveyed 17,500 girls in grades 5 to 12 and included questions about future goals and perceptions of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics as potential careers. I am.
Women not only outperform men in academic degrees; improve academic performance They graduate high school on time more often than boys, and the push for equality in STEM fields is moving at a glacial pace. Although on the rise, women remain underrepresented in both degrees and employment in science and technology fields.
Ruling Our Experiences, a nonprofit organization that studies girls’ aspirations, behaviors, and opinions, is comparing its 2023 survey results to a similar survey collected in 2017.
Their researchers found that compared to their findings five years ago, the number of girls who say they are interested in STEM has increased by 10 percentage points to 55 percent, but not enough to land their dream job. They found that the number of female students who said they were confident or smart had fallen sharply. .
“I want everyone who has girls in their sphere of influence to know this data, because we all have a role in creating a generation of girls who are more confident, competent and capable. Because we believe there is,” said Founder and CEO Lisa Hinkelman. “Whether it’s in STEM fields or other spaces where girls’ voices and voices are needed,” the authors of “Dominating Our Experiences” say.
There is a lot of interest, but there are few participants.
Girls are interested in science and mathematics. More than half of girls of all age groups surveyed said they were considering a career in STEM, with overall interest increasing by 10 percent since 2017, according to the report. , this trend is stable regardless of grade, income level, or ethnicity. The biggest increase in interest was among the youngest girls, fifth and sixth graders, who saw a 20% increase.
That doesn’t mean the girls are ready to jump into the field.
The report identified a myriad of external factors and social pressures that can prevent girls from taking STEM classes and pursuing science careers.
The percentage of girls who say they’re good at math and science has fallen sharply, from 73 percent in 2017 to 59 percent in 2023. This includes girls whose grades show they are excelling in these subjects.
“I think this is particularly concerning when you think about the need to make sure we have more girls in STEM fields, and it’s not just about exposing girls to STEM opportunities,” Hinkelman said. “We also have to simultaneously address these challenges of confidence and awareness of our ability to simultaneously influence their next actions.”
Researchers also expressed concern that gender stereotypes and misconceptions about maths and science may be deterring girls from taking those classes as they progress through school. Approximately 28 percent of high school girls reported avoiding classes with fewer female students.
Overall, 56 percent of girls said they had felt excluded from activities because of their gender, and the majority said they had “not been able to meet the specific expectations and expectations of girls and women.” “I feel pressured to fit into stereotypes.” About the same number said they avoided taking on leadership roles for fear of appearing bossy.
Woods credits the organization with providing role models and working with GirlStart to introduce girls in 24 school districts across three states to the world of STEM, including after-school programs, summer camps and annual conferences. He says he strives to both foster kinship relationships. Female students are already hearing the message that there aren’t enough women in science and technology fields, and being the first or only girl in a science class isn’t necessarily appealing to them, she said. added.
“My girls like community and they like relationships, so what GirlStart does is provide a support network of like-minded peers,” Woods says. “You may be the only girl in your physics class at your high school, but hopefully through us there are other girls in your physics class in the city, and you all have a network of support. , I hope you know that you are not doing this alone.”
STEM fields also have messaging issues.
About 89 percent of girls say they want a career where they can help others, but that doesn’t necessarily happen in science. Less than half of girls said they wanted to work in both service and STEM industries.
“This gap may also be due to stereotypes that women are natural caregivers, steering girls into traditional helping roles,” the report says. “But STEM fields offer many ways to make a positive impact, from developing new drugs to solving environmental problems. How a career in STEM aligns with their desire to help? Demonstrating this to our female students could attract more diverse talent to these fields.”
crisis of confidence
This data shows a worrying trend in how girls feel about their abilities and potential.
The percentage of girls who consider themselves confident in 2023 has decreased in almost all grade levels compared to 2017, with the largest decline occurring in fifth and sixth grade. The proportion of girls in all age groups who say they don’t know if they’re smart enough to get their dream job has increased.
The confidence issues girls face go beyond their awareness of math and science. Approximately 57% said they did not feel cared for at school, and only 39% said they felt a sense of belonging at school.
Hinkelman said she was surprised by the precipitous drop in confidence, especially among girls in grades five through seven.
“I think girls internalize a lot of messages from the world that they’re not good enough, that they’re not smart enough, that certain jobs and careers aren’t for them. ,” Hinkelman said. “Many girls have low overall valuations of themselves, their opportunities, and their abilities. This is also reflected in their perceptions of their abilities in STEM-specific fields. I understand.”
The education system as a whole needs to start building confidence in science while helping students gain competency in STEM subjects, she added.
Woods believes that in a digital world built on a system of likes, girls can understand that they don’t have to be perfect as long as they are proud of what they do. He says he needs.
The numbers confirm what Woods sees in her work. The study found that confident girls were 20% more likely than other girls to say they wanted a career in STEM. The report found that among girls who feel supported and accepted at school, interest in STEM is higher, 50% higher than other students.
The girls said, “In that space, it’s safe to take risks, it’s safe to learn from each other, it’s safe to fail in front of each other and then stand up and take it as a lesson or a success.” Woods explains that you need to know. “This is really important for girls to change the way they see themselves and what they can do in their careers. we need to emphasize.”
