In Australia, women hold only 15 per cent of jobs that require science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) degrees, and comprise just 34 per cent of STEM and corporate boards. In Latin America and the Caribbean, women represent less than 30 per cent of all researchers in science, and only a third of employees with STEM degrees are women. These figures reflect a wider global picture, with higher education institutions well placed to change the landscape. Tailored support encourages women to pursue and succeed in STEM study, and to ensure they progress to STEM-related careers.
I travelled to the UK from a Small Island Developing State for my undergraduate degree, and my journey into STEM was shaped by robust institutional support. Here are the things they did well, and how other institutions can learn from them.
Peer mentoring
My female peer tutor helped me understand what to expect during my first and subsequent years of STEM study. She also checked in regularly to enquire about my general well-being. Her support was fundamental to helping me settle into a new city (and country).
Upper-year students are in a strong position to offer first-year STEM students subject matter guidance, and pastoral care in a way that resonates. Regular meetings (monthly meetings work well) ensure continued support without adding too much to the mentor’s workload.
Personal tutor system
In my personal statement, I mentioned wanting to explore neuropharmacology, and my university assigned my personal tutor from a relevant field. He encouraged my academic pursuits even when they diverged from my initial interests, provided me with references for summer placements and conferences and supported me with job applications.
Empathetic and supportive academic tutors, when assigned to the right students, can empower female STEM students to pursue their interests and discover new pathways.
Subject area initiatives
To inspire and inform students, STEM faculty members should organise presentations focused on specific departments’ areas of research. These talks may open students’ minds to different fields, help them find their niche or a possible mentor, or be focused on inspiring students from underrepresented backgrounds to persevere with their studies. A journal club run by female academics for female students, or a Women in STEM society, can build community and provide leadership opportunities for women.
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Career support
Co- and extra-curricular term time and summer laboratory placements, job shadowing and other industry opportunities allow STEM students to build experience and skills in their field of interest. Female academics should take the lead to encourage female students to apply by highlighting such schemes during lectures or tutorials, and they should work with careers staff to support applications and participation by signposting students to job boards such as The Times Top 100 Graduate Employers, Graduate Recruitment Bureau and Jobs.ac.uk.
Academics can also partner with careers staff to create resources such as brochures on applying to and working for the top STEM employers in the region or country. These could include details about the application process, recruitment timelines and companies’ equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) track records. Also, consider co-facilitating workshops, seminars and assessment centres focused on developing female students’ CVs and interview techniques. Your faculty can also work with the alumni office to organise networking and mentorship initiatives with female STEM graduates to spotlight the experiences of women who’ve “been there, done that”.
Nurture STEM entrepreneurship
Educators can adapt curricula to reflect a diverse range of STEM destinations, opening students’ eyes to opportunities they may not be aware of. This could involve introducing multidisciplinary courses such as Business for Bio Scientists, developed with local or regional industry input.
You can also involve university enterprise incubators to support female student-run STEM businesses to provide start-up capital and access to business mentors. Two women in my class started a blog and founded their student business Beauty By The Geeks as a direct result of the knowledge and support they received from these systems.
Implementing these suggestions can improve the academic success of female STEM students and inspire women to see themselves in STEM fields, narrowing gender-related participation gaps.
AI use disclaimer: No generative artificial intelligence tools were used in writing this article.
Natalie K. D. Seedan is a sports sciences laboratory technician and part-time lecturer at the University of the West Indies Cave Hill Campus.
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