Perspectives: Girls & STEM – Closing the Gender Gap
Girls Get Tech. They Just Need Others to Believe It.
New research explores how access to technology helps put girls on par with boys.
From: The New York Times, February 12, 2019
Research by the Girl Scout Research Institute, out this week, says that — according to a survey of 2,900 girls and boys ages 5 to 17 (along with their parents) — giving girls the same access to smartphones, tablets, laptops and gaming devices helps put girls on par with boys when it comes to tech, or to be able to exceed them in some respects.
Making Gains for Women in STEM Fields Will Take More Effort
From: The New York Times, November 20, 2018
No one disputes these days that STEM remains mostly a man’s world. Much has been written about the male geek culture that dominates Silicon Valley and other technology hubs. But numerous speakers at the conference agreed that needs to change soon if women are to adjust to fast-changing job markets that increasingly require technological skills, or scientific proficiency.
“This is one of the most important issues of our time, and it is urgent,” said Lindsey Nefesh-Clarke, founder of W4, an organization that promotes girls and women in technology. “It has nothing to do with cognitive abilities, that has been proven. It is about consistent, deeply entrenched stereotypes.”
The stubborn gap between men and women in STEM is evident from an early age, and continues through university to the workplace, according to “Bridging the Digital Gender Divide,” a report by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (O.E.C.D.) released in October.