{"id":1235,"date":"2017-01-23T13:00:38","date_gmt":"2017-01-23T19:00:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thesocietypages.org\/trot\/?p=1235"},"modified":"2017-01-23T13:41:05","modified_gmt":"2017-01-23T19:41:05","slug":"barriers-that-keep-women-from-stem-careers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thesocietypages.org\/trot\/2017\/01\/23\/barriers-that-keep-women-from-stem-careers\/","title":{"rendered":"Barriers Keeping Women from STEM Careers"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Lt. Shelton, one of the chemical engineers at the Rocket Propulsion Lab, stands at a chalkboard. Photo by Expert Infantry, Flickr CC<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

One of the most popular new movies in the past month was\u00a0Hidden<\/a><\/em><\/span> Figures<\/a><\/span><\/i>, a film that highlights the forgotten story of three Black female NASA employees who were integral to the success of several U.S. space missions in the early 1960s. The film allows audiences to observe both the subtle and blatant instances of sexism and racism that plagued women in STEM, despite the prestige of the field. Over 50 years later, women\u2019s employment in science, technology, engineering, and math remains low compared to that of their male peers, especially among minority women. Social science allows us to piece together where and how these gender differences develop, and how women within STEM careers successfully navigate their environments.<\/span><\/p>\n

Despite growing numbers of women receiving college degrees, they remain underrepresented within STEM fields. While some research attempts to find biological explanations for gender and racial disparities, a myriad of social science scholars note that cultural stereotypes equate science and math studies with men\u2019s work. As such, young women frequently experience lower self-confidence in their science and mathematical skills. Women of color, in particular, are less likely to attend elite schools with quality STEM programs and are more likely to experience family unemployment. These barriers limit access to the resources necessary to cultivate engagement with STEM studies. <\/span><\/h5>\n