Stimulation and support is the key factor for the increasement of women participation in science
These days there is a common discussion about the participation of women in science. Especially in the western countries, the discussion about the women’s rights in society is an important topic. In most science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields there is no doubt that women are numerically underrepresented as academic researchers. The lack of women in the STEM fields creates an unwelcome feel to those who do persist in academia. Broadening the participation of women in STEM fields is more than a social-justice issue. Diversity within STEM is crucial to the future of a thriving and innovative national research and economic agenda.
UNESCO suggests that only around 35% of all students enrolled in STEM-related fields are female. The probability for female students to graduate with a Bachelor’s degree, Master’s degree and Doctor’s degree in the science-related field are 18%, 8%, and 2% respectively, while the percentages of male students are 37%, 18%, and 6%.1 These numbers give a clear impression about the gap between men and women who is participating in the science field. Reduction of the gap gives the women fair chance to full and equal participation in science. I think it is important to give the women the right chance in the science field, because female researchers can play a vital role in ensuring diversity in research, expanding the pool of talented researchers and bringing in fresh perspectives.
Social factors have a huge influence on the gap between men and women pursuing science. In 76 percent of the countries, men expressed a higher interest in science. This result was especially pronounced in countries with high gender equality.2 It seems like that men express more confidence about the understanding of scientific processes. This doesn’t mean that they could do research, but only that they said they could when asked. But why does the gap tend to be larger in countries that have high levels of gender equality? There are some ideas about it that these countries tend to have high levels of economic security. On the other hand, the countries with smaller science degree gap tend to be less social secure. The economic security provided by fields like engineering may have a stronger draw in these countries, pulling more women into the field.2
Another factor is lack of encouragement. Studies have shown that when told that men score better in math tests than women, women tend to score worse. When the scores are not revealed, the two genders scored equally well. This might come from an "internal bias" in the minds of young female scientists, who may naturally under-rate their intelligence.2 Other studies found that female college students are 1.5 times as likely as their male counterparts to leave STEM after taking the first course in the calculus series.3 Female students cited one reason for leaving more often than their male classmates did: believing that they did not understand the concepts of Calculus I well enough to go on to the next course. In fact, 35% of surveyed female students who had initially intended to major in STEM but decided against taking Calculus II selected this reason, as compared with just 14% of male students.3 The researchers found that male and female students lost confidence equally over the course of the term, but female students entered the course with a lower confidence level. Therefore, the decision to stop pursuing calculus appeared to be influenced significantly by confidence in math when entering college. The authors note that addressing this confidence mismatch could help boost the representation of women in the STEM. If women stayed in STEM after Calculus I at rates similar to men, the number of women entering the STEM workforce would increase by 75%, the authors project, and women would make up 37% of the entering STEM workforce, a step up from the 25% they currently compose.3
Many educators believe that the solution is active learning, which encourages student participation through approaches including smaller classes, group work, completing problem sets in class, and receiving immediate feedback from instructors. The general consensus is that active learning classes improve student performance and confidence.3
Women are generally less competitive and aggressive than men and this could impact their desires to follow through with a career in science at the academic level — when constant competition to publish becomes the major determinant of a successful career. The push to constantly compete can wear on someone whose personality isn't naturally inclined to be aggressive.4
Studies in the United States found that women having children after completing their PhD are less likely to have tenured or tenure-track positions. Also, they are more likely to earn less than their male or childless female colleagues. Women tend to be the primary caregivers for children and are more likely to work part-time.4 This could explain the financial disparity. Also, according to a report from the office of the chief scientist on Australia’s STEM workforce, men who work part-time consistently earn more.2 Also in the same report, it shows that women without children tend to earn more than women who do. Even if young women make it through a bachelor's and enter academia, they often leave the STEM fields early in their career. A frequently suggested reason for this is the lack of maternity leave and childcare after having kids. This is also seen in the long-hour days of technology startups.
Tenure-track academics face steep obstacles in reaching their goals and taking a "time-out" to have children is still a problem at many institutions. Astrophysicist and MacArthur "genius" grant award winner Sara Seager, of MIT, says she will use her $625,000 award to pay for childcare to help her concentrate on her work.4 If this wasn't an issue facing academics, she wouldn't need to put her winnings towards it. There are indications that having children isn't the main reason women leave STEM fields mid-career. After all, startups and academia allow flexible days and plenty of work from home opportunities. It does seem to become an issue for some research-minded women. Another study by Berkeley researchers found that 41% of women postdocs who had babies retreated from their original goal of being a research professor, versus 20% of single women.4
A solution can be to introduce genuinely flexible work arrangements. It’s important to provide support, publicly celebrate high-achieving women, and be flexible in how meetings are held, surely it will attract more women to the science field. Visible role models are important to attract and retain female scientists. The absence of senior females in STEM removes a source of visible role models. It helps younger women to envision science careers as potential pathways they can take.4
There are a lot of different factors that influence the lack of women participation in science. It is not an easy task to have a clear solution for all these factors. It is important to keep on searching for solutions. The factors are different cultural based on the confidence of women generally in science. These are not easy problems that can be solved overnight, but it is important to think about some possible solutions. Also, awareness and support are important to encourage women to participate more in science. Compared with the past the number of women who are participating in science is a lot higher. Now, it is time to set this number higher by finding more solutions.