Ironelly Ozuna Bell Multicultural High School Research Paper

Fewer Women in STEM

Gender issues in the technology field have been around for a long time. For many years women have been seen as not capable to perform the same as men when dealing with technology. Still today the cultural of STEM is to harsh for women and its driving them away.

Study done by Spencer, 30 female freshman and 24 male freshman from the University of Michigan that were majoring in psychology with strong math backgrounds Stereotype threat - 20% of women passed No stereotype threat- 84% of women passed. (AAUW 39-40).

Dr. Maria Klawe, President of Harvey Mudd College and computer scientist. “teachers and adolescence, then later by colleagues, that the things she was interested in were things women didn’t do.” (Hafner 2).

Implicit Association Test (IAT) shows how people, both women and men associate jobs with men and females with family than reverse. (AAUW 76).

Heidi Roizen is an entrepreneur in a company called Silicon Valley. A study that Heidi wrote only changing the name Heidi to Howard. The case was divided, one had Heidi’s name the other say Howard and was handed to business students. For those students who read Heidi “The more aggressive they thought she was, the more they hated her,“ (Routson Para 14)

Struggle in high school because had no support, when got in college and started her engineering class. Mentoring and encouragement from other women in the college cause he to stay in her science class after her first semester (32).

Improving Girls’ Self-Efficacy with Virtual Peers, which was made to help girls overcome their negative self-images when it comes to STEM Women in STEM Speakers Bureau brings role models from top officials that are very close to their one step future to talk and inspire young girls that are in grades 6-12 Mentor.net is another program that has been made to support women in STEM. Many stories have been told that the mentoring website has helped them stay and overcome the STEM culture Make science an important curriculum Every school should make it a requirement that kids take a science and engineering class in order to graduation. This can help kids get interests at a young age. Challenging the bias and stereotypes If people challenge these bias and stereotypes it cause women to feel safer. If they feel safer than a shift will start occurring. Exposing STEM to young girls Many companies exist like Goldie Blox and Legos that are working specifically to make toys that are pleasing to young girls and an imitation to engineering activity. These toys can help young girls understand that STEM is very interesting and fun which can help in the long run.

AAUW (American Association of University Women). "Why So Few? Women in Science Technology, And Mathematics." Stereotypes (n.d.): Feb Web. 28 Dec b Hafner, Katie. "Giving Women the Access Code." The New York Times. The New York Times, 02 Apr Web. 28 Dec Menetor.net. Students’ Perceptions of the Value and Need for Mentors (n.d.): Mar Web. 28 Dec President, Executive Office Of The. Women and Girls in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) (n.d.): 3. Executive Office of the President. Web. 28 Dec Routson, Joyce. "Heidi Roizen: Networking Is More Than Collecting Lots of Names." Stanford Graduate School of Business. N.p., 1 Nov Web. 28 Dec

Thank you to Ms. Thorpe! Thank you to Ms. Blair! Thank you to my classmate!