Why do girls lose interest in STEM?

So the real question remains, why is there such a gender gap in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education and occupations? There were many studies and reports on this problem and I will highlight results from two of those.

A survey commissioned by Microsoft (MSFT) in 2018 found that young girls in Europe become interested in STEM subjects around the age of 11 and then quickly lose interest when they're 15. "Conformity to social expectations, gender stereotypes, gender roles and lack of role models continue to channel girls' career choices away from STEM fields," said psychology professor Martin Bauer of the London School of Economics, who helped coordinate the survey of 11,500 girls across 12 European countries.

The survey identified the lack of female role models in STEM as a self-perpetuating problem. Young women see few women going into science, technology, engineering, and math fields, so they have fewer role models and examples to follow. Mentorship and role models are extremely important for anyone in pursuing a degree, looking to gain skills, and get a career; most young people share their experiences finding someone they look up to and admire and pursuing a career path because of them. The snowball effect of female role models is important. The more women interested and working in STEM, the more they can serve as role models for the next generation. Girls who know a woman in STEM are substantially more likely to feel powerful when they do STEM activities than those who don't. Those girls will also understand the relevancy of STEM and know how to pursue a STEM career at least by 20 percent more than the girls who don't know a woman in STEM.

Often, we gravitate toward role models that seem to be like us; it seems that if someone like us can achieve their dreams, we can too. This is especially true of gender. Historically STEM fields have been dominated by men, which has created a taboo for women scientists and technologists. Women in these fields can be stereotyped and this can cause women to not want to pursue these degrees or occupations.

The second reason is sexism in STEM departments and the workplace. Sexism is a critical issue in STEM degree programs in universities around the world. The sexism that women can face from professors during college years can push them away from STEM majors, and will thereby keep them out of STEM professions in the future. Microsoft also found that girls are more likely to pursue a career in this area if they think men and women will be treated equally in the workforce.

Many women who try to come into these male dominated organizations may find themselves facing unfriendly environments and difficult work cultures. There are stereotypes in the workplace about women, especially in STEM fields, from whether a woman is truly capable of doing the job, to criticism about her tone of voice or work habits. Lack of female leaders can also be a difficult barrier for women in STEM. With fewer women in the top of organizations to help fight sexism and give female colleagues a place to aspire to, the system crumbles and doesn’t benefit anyone.

Girls lose interest in STEM as they get older. Confidence in coding and programming wanes as girls get older, highlighting the need to connect STEM subjects to real-world people and problems, tapping into girls' desire to be creative, and encouraging them at home and in school. A new study has been published by TrueChild.org titled, “Do Internalized Feminine Norms Depress Girls’ STEM Attitudes & Participation?” The study takes a look past some of the more commonly discussed obstacles holding girls back from pursuits in STEM such as the lack of female role models and the sometimes unwelcoming classroom environment for girls in STEM and focuses on the very basic gender internalization that goes on for most girls when they begin to reach the tween years and beyond.

The study explains that by the 8th grade only half as many girls are interested in STEM, which just happens to be around the same age girls begin to enter that period of “gender intensification” when they begin to suddenly find themselves trying to identify with gender roles. According to the study this is the age when girls begin to disassociate being smart with being pretty and start believing that they cannot be both. “Girls are caught in a “double conformity” bind, in which they must opt out of femininity or opt out of STEM" the study claims.

Girls who are in STEM clubs and activities outside of school report a higher confidence in knowing how to pursue a STEM related career than those who are not. According to the Microsoft survey, 73% of the girls in STEM clubs or activities feel they would know how to pursue a career in STEM, compared to 47% for girls who didn't participate in STEM clubs or activities.

Parents can have just as much of an impact as teachers when it comes to getting girls interested in STEM. Having encouraging mons, dads, and teachers who communicate about STEM are all associated with a significantly higher interest (by an average of +32 points more interested in all STEM subjects compared to those girls who do not) in STEM subjects. Providing teachers with more engaging and relatable STEM curriculum, such as 3D and hands-on projects, the kinds of activities that have proven to help retain girls’ interest in STEM over the long haul.

Increasing the number of STEM mentors and role models – including parents – to help build young girls’ confidence that they can succeed in STEM. Girls who are encouraged by their parents are twice as likely to stay in STEM, and in some areas like computer science, dads can have a greater influence on their daughters than moms, yet are less likely than mothers to talk to their daughters about STEM, the study found.

Creating inclusive classrooms and workplaces that value female opinions. It’s important to celebrate the stories of women who are in STEM right now, today. It’d be really cool to see women in STEM careers on posters in the hall, in our history and science texts, and visit our classes, and that will encourage many girls embracing STEM education and careers.

You Are Amazing invites successful women STEM role models to present their work to our students, motivate and encourage them to study STEM and guide them for a STEM career.