Mariah Brown: 3 essential ways to support girls and women in STEM

If you had asked me in high school what percentage of science, technology, engineering and math workers were women, I likely would have given you a high number because I had a lot of female science teachers at the time. I saw myself in them, and they encouraged my interest in science, which led me to seek a science degree in college. A majority of my professors were men, and that majority only grew when I entered the professional world. Few people look like me—a Black woman—in the science space.

Every two years, the U.S. National Science Foundation’s National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics releases the “Diversity and STEM: Women, Minorities and Persons with Disabilities” report. This year, it found that even though women are earning half of science and engineering bachelor’s degrees and associate degrees, they make up just over one-third of the STEM workforce. The report also noted women’s wages were consistently lower than men’s.

We must do more than just encourage girls to take an interest in STEM. Here are three ways to be a true ally.

Prioritize change. A good ally is an individual who is willing to prioritize change. Good allies turn the spotlight away from themselves and allow others to shine and experience new opportunities.

In college, I participated in the Research Initiative for Scientific Enhancement Program to further prepare minority students to enter into biomedical research careers. This included developing competencies in laboratory techniques by encouraging students to work in academic or professional labs.

One of my professors realized I hadn’t found a summer research opportunity and asked whether I would like to come back to campus and work in his lab. I think he could sense that, because I hadn’t found a summer opportunity, my interest in the science was shifting.

Even though I didn’t pursue his specialty field, I learned a lot from working in his lab, which kept me in the science space. Because he recognized I needed a little extra support at the time and reached out, he supported the ability for me to pursue the career I’m in today. Be the person who reaches out to a student or marginalized person to encourage them and keep them learning and growing.

Start early. Gender roles become entrenched in children by age 10. The sooner young girls can see that it’s OK to have children and a career, the more options and choices they can see for themselves in the future. It’s also vital that we introduce young people to all facets of science, technology, engineering and math. Not all scientists are chemists and work in a lab, so what other kinds of sciences can we show women working in? It’s important to share a variety of STEM opportunities for young people to try, such as summer camps, workshops and internships.

At the same time, young people can get bored easily and jump from interest to interest without thinking long term. Allies need to follow up and follow through with children and adolescents to gauge their ongoing interests and provide the long-term support they need.

Mentor and support women in the workplace. It might feel formal, but employer-created groups designed specifically for women create avenues for them to be more involved. It can be as simple as a book club or more complex employee resource groups that spark conversations to navigate difficult personal and professional situations. Building a culture of belonging that encourages women to bring their whole selves to work and connect with trusted peers will help grow strong cohorts of women in STEM.

My hope is that as we continue to increase the number of women in STEM fields, the representation will make an impact on young girls and show them what’s possible.•

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Brown is K-12 outreach director at Women & Hi Tech.