STEM the Gender Gap
Although Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) careers are some of the fastest growing and highest paid fields, a significant “STEM gender gap” persists worldwide: only 28% of STEM jobs are filled by women, with only 5% filled by women of color.
According to Catalyst, “This gap begins in education, fueled by gender stereotypes and expectations regarding ‘women’s work.’ Despite similar achievement scores among children of all genders in math and science, men are the overwhelming majority of students studying STEM fields in higher education. The few women who begin careers in STEM face male-dominated workplaces with high rates of discrimination. Their contributions are often ignored; they experience isolation caused by lack of access to women peers, role models, and mentors; and they are paid less than their male co-workers. Women leave STEM careers at disproportionately higher rates than men, particularly among those who are working parents. Systems of bias that push women and people of color out of STEM careers can also influence the products and services created by STEM organizations, such as artificial intelligence (AI).”
At Hamlin, we are passionate about closing the gap, and in 2014 Hamlin leadership in partnership with the Tech Advisory Committee established an annual program called STEM the Gender Gap, a day when students of all grades travel off campus to visit technology-based or technology-enabled companies and to meet with women entrepreneurs, CEOs, and others working in STEM careers. During the pandemic, we pivoted to a virtual model, connecting female leaders from tech companies throughout the United States with students and creating STEM learning activities in partnership with several tech organizations. Moving forward, we envision our STEM The Gender Gap program as a hybrid model, combining in-person and virtual speakers with hands-on activities.
Past STEM the Gender Gap experiences include visits to and guest speakers from:
- Pixar
- YouTube
- Tesla
- Apple
- UCSF
- Healthy Roots
- KiwiCo
- Bay Area Discovery Museum
- JU.ST Egg
- Randall Museum
- CuriOdyssey
- Salesforce
- and more!