It is a common joke to talk about “women in STEM” and act like they are not capable enough for a job of that difficulty. On social media, this takes the form of seeing videos of women simply microwaving food or starting their cars, with the comment sections filled with jokes about her being a “woman in STEM.” STEM stands for science, technology, engineering and mathematics. These fields are often seen as something for men, but in recent years there have been more women moving into this realm.
“I think that’s shifted in the last ten years or so that there’s more focus on women in STEM … one of those types of things where it’s getting much more publicity, which I think is beneficial if we can keep it positive publicity,” said Science Teacher and Educational Technology Specialist Rebecca Girard.
At first thought, jobs such as engineering or being a scientist seem to be things that only men do. However, according to Forbes Magazine, women represented 45% of students majoring in STEM fields in 2020, which is up 40% from 2010. While the number of women joining the field is increasing, there is still a prevalent gender pay gap. According to the Stanford Graduate School of Business, the entry-level salary for a man in STEM is over $4,000 higher than that of a woman. This is partly because men show more confidence in job interviews, while women typically seem more timid and nervous, despite having the same or better credentials as men.
It is sometimes hard for women to be confident in a field that is heavily male-dominated. They often feel “imposter syndrome,” which means feeling like a fraud or not qualified for something, despite being perfectly capable of achieving success. Instilling confidence in young women interested in STEM is something that can go a long way in their future careers.
“It’s just like inspiring the confidence that we can all do it … I always talk about being curious, asking questions. That’s one of the most important things to do. We do so much teamwork in my class, so students learn how to work with everyone. Because it doesn’t matter gender, it can also be personalities or experience or dedications, you know, finding that passion,” said Girard.
At NDB, the all-girls environment plays a vital role in giving young women the confidence to pursue their passions. Especially within the science department, students are able to discuss, experiment and interact with each other in a comfortable environment where they feel confident enough to make mistakes and continue learning.
“One of the things that never ceases to impress me is that we are such a small school. And we have quite a large population of students who go on to take AP Physics, AP Chemistry, AP Biology, AP Calculus AB and BC. And when you look at that number in relation to the number of students we have in school, that’s significantly higher than many people might expect from a school, which is considered mainly for women,” said Science Department Chair Elizabeth Hegarty.
There is no doubt that women are consistently moving into the STEM fields. While there are still some difficulties, the gender gap within this area is slowly starting to close. One of the most important things for young women with a passion for STEM is to be confident in themselves and their abilities. This starts from their educators, as teachers play a crucial role in their students’ confidence levels. Especially at an all-girls school, it is vital to give young women the confidence to move into higher education and jobs.
