Lack of diversity in STEM must be addressed

Professor Karen Panetta boldly started Nerd Girls in 2000 in order to address the severe gender gap in fields of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). The group has evolved into a global organization that seeks to empower girls and young women to enter STEM fields.

Professor Panetta’s organization directly addresses the need for young girls to see older women in STEM as mentors and role models. According to Forbes, the stereotype of science and math as masculine fields is socialized at a young age by parents, teachers and pop culture. Gender stereotypes and their reinforcement are formative in how children view themselves and their capabilities. This leads to women who enter STEM fields already underestimating their performance.

It is crucial to encourage young girls to enter the fields of science and math, because there is a systemic underrepresentation of women in STEM fields at a professional level. According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, women represent less than a quarter of those employed in STEM fields and women have not experienced employment growth in STEM jobs since 2000. The problem does not exclude Tufts, as less than 35 percent of students in the School of Engineering are women.

Following in the footsteps of Professor Panetta, others on campus have embraced initiatives to diversify the sciences. For example, Women in Computer Science works to create a community for women in the department through various events and prominent female speakers. Scientista also attempts to increase the number of women in STEM by increasing the visibility of women in the fields and strengthening existing communities.

Gender diversity is not the only diversity lacking in the STEM fields, however. The Center for STEM Diversity responds to the lack of diversity of racial, ethnic and socioeconomic identities in the STEM fields at Tufts. Additionally, out in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (oSTEM) is an LGBTQ group for students in the STEM fields. The group meets to collaborate and connect with one another on issues facing LGBTQ students on campus who pursue this field.

Nerd Girls has led the way on campus towards including the variety of identities underrepresented in STEM fields. These initiatives should continue to fight for much-needed diversity at Tufts.