CEDAR RAPIDS – Several studies have found that the number of women graduating from college has outpaced men.
However, the degrees these women are pursuing continue to be more arts-based than science. Even women who begin college with a science or math major are more likely to change programs.
Mimi Lufkin
“By 2050, 85 percent of entrants into the workforce will be people of color and women,” said Mimi Lufkin, CEO of the National Alliance for Partnership in Equality. “If we don’t reach out to those people and engage them in STEM enterprises, it’s an opportunity for great loss.”
Lufkin spoke with a room full of educators, volunteers, community leaders and students at Friday’s Rockwell Collins Engineering Experiences breakfast. The annual event kicks off the new year by highlighting some of last year’s STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) successes and inspires for the year to come.
Rockwell Collins CEO Clay Jones said the event is really for the students in the audience, those who are the country’s science and technology future.
“The reason we need to strengthen education in this country, especially STEM education, is we want to give them the same opportunities we hopefully had we were younger,” Jones said.
He then spoke of three girls who wanted to explore the sciences – one born in the 1800s, the other the first female in space and a fourth-grade student who is exploring the opportunities before her.
“Let’s call her Lisa,” Jones said.
Both the first and second girl – Marie Curie and Sally Ride – were able to make their dreams into reality, thank to hard work and outside support. Maybe Lisa will have the same, but the statistics are against her.
There’s only a 50-50 chance that she learned elementary science from a STEM-certified teacher.
“Between fourth and 12th grade, the percentage of girls who say they like science fall by 18 percent,” Jones said.
Today, less than one in five STEM professionals is a female.
Continuing that discussion, Lufkin’s keynote address focused on working to expand opportunities for females and minorities in STEM education.
Citing U.S. Department of Education statistics, Lufkin showed that girls’ performance and participation in STEM classes has improved. Girls are even taking more science classes than boys, but Lufkin said their participation levels tend to drop off for the higher sciences, like physics.
“They’re not translating that achievement to career selection,” Lufkin said.
To change those statistics for the better, Lufkin asked everyone to stress intellectual growth, to remind their students that intelligence can be developed. Female students should have access to successful female role models in math and science, and be encouraged to attribute their success to their skills.
Educators should create opportunities for hands-on learning to increase spatial skills and help their students move past negative stereotypes that hinder their abilities.
Lufkin stressed that her advice, while geared toward the female student in her address, is equally important for all students as the country works to expand STEM education.
