Study says women lag in U.S. STEM degrees
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Mae C. Jemison, the first black female astronaut, and also a Bayer science outreach spokeswoman.
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American women have the ability and educational preparation to graduate from college with a science, technology, engineering or mathematics degree, but women are still underrepresented in so-called STEM undergraduate fields, according to a new survey from the Bayer Corp.
Women, the survey says, "come to college poised for success but fail to graduate with STEM degrees."
The survey, which queried professors and university chairs from 200 American research schools and was released Wednesday, also said women and underrepresented minorities -- in other words, non-Asian minorities -- are often weeded out of STEM-related fields early on because of the rigor of the introductory courses.
PDF"Too often, we in higher education believe high quality is related to how many students are weeded out of STEM courses," said Freeman Hrabowski, president of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, in a statement.
"Instead, the emphasis should be on rigorous course work coupled with support, together leading to larger numbers of students succeeding academically."
More than 80 percent of STEM-related department chairs "view females to be the most adequately prepared academically when they enter college to complete studies and graduate with STEM degrees."
But men are still more likely to end up with a degree in agricultural sciences, biology, computer science, engineering or math.
Bayer's study suggests universities, as the "gatekeepers" that weed out students and confer STEM degrees, have an obligation to better support and retain women and minorities who pursue undergraduate science and technology degrees.
"The major story that emerges from this survey is the failure of universities, STEM departments and professors to recognize and understand the role they play in undermining or promoting women and underrepresented minority students' success" in science, technology, engineering and math fields, said Mae C. Jemison, the first black female astronaut, and also a Bayer science outreach spokesperson.
"STEM" is a trendy buzzword in with educators, business leaders and politicians, including President Barack Obama, saying the country needs to improve both its STEM teaching corps and the quality of its science and tech students, as a way of maintaining a competitive workforce.
This summer, the online Pennsylvania Cyber Charter School announced that it wants to open a new school focusing on a strict STEM curriculum.
And a week ago, the Carnegie Science Center and Chevron Corp. announced a three-year initiative at the center designed to steer more of the region's students into STEM-related fields and careers. The Chevron Center for STEM Education and Career Development hopes to develop partnerships with schools and students in 22 counties in the region.
First Published December 8, 2011 12:00 am
