Women in STEM, Why We Need More

It is no secret that Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) has been male dominated for a very long time but this doesn't mean that STEM jobs are only for males. For many decades, non-males have been excluded from these important and necessary spaces. It is a well-known fact that women and girls have a long way to go to be equal partners with men in all sectors of the workforce, but STEM is the most affected. Over the years we have seen a massive improvement when it comes to women in medicine, law, and business. These fields have been male dominated in the past but today it is very common to see women in these fields. When it comes to STEM things are not as promising, unfortunately most women are still trying to find their feet in these fields. This is not only doing a disservice to women but also to the STEM industry and to humanity. 

The big questions are, why aren't there more women entering STEM? What is deterring them and why does it matter? How can this be changed? 

Why We Need Women in STEM 

Research that has been done throughout the years proves that the more diverse the team is, the greater the results. There is little to no innovation in a room full of individuals of similar minds, all trained and tackling issues in the same way or manner. Bringing together people of all genders, backgrounds and nationalities creates a more dynamic environment where creative thoughts can develop. This is one of the reasons why women are needed in STEM.  Representation of women also positively impacts future generations. Without the presence of women in STEM, innovation will be limited, and half of the population will be excluded. 

Lack of Role Models 

Representation matters, young girls need to see women going into STEM fields. The lack of female role models means that girls don't have enough women to look up to and as a result don't pursue careers in this space. Women in STEM may face additional challenges due to a lack of female leaders. The system crumbles and no one benefits when there are fewer women at the top to assist in fighting sexism and providing support to uplift more women in STEM roles. 

Naturally we tend to gravitate towards people that look like us. When we see people that look like us achieving their dreams, we also feel like we can do it. Tebogo Lebelo (PhD student in Human Genetics) is one of the South African women that are doing amazing things in STEM. She was inspired to pursue a career in STEM after watching an SABC 2 programme called Women in Science. The show proved to her that science is for everyone. STEM is not something to shy away from but it's something to engage in. 

What Can be Done  

Teachers of young female students are encouraged to promote women's contributions with the South African STEM industry. By speaking about these women and the impact they have had in the STEM space, it becomes very clear that both men and women play a critical role in this space.  

There are so many innovative initiatives across South Africa. A lot has been done to encourage women and girls to take part in STEM. Techno Girl promotes girls' participation and learning in STEM. They offer girls from grade 9 to 11 an opportunity to take part in job shadowing, mentorship, and skills development programmes in the public and private sectors. #CodeLikeAGirl aims to develop coding skills for girls aged between 14-18 years and encourages them to consider taking part in ICT and STEM subjects. The Association of South African in Science and Engineering (SA WISE) aims to raise the profile of women scientists and engineers and to highlight and address problems faced specifically by women in these fields. 

Even at Propella, we're always on a quest to recruit more women into our entrepreneurship programmes, especially those within the STEM space. There are design thinking workshops, and events such as hackathons that are geared towards introducing more women into the STEM space. 

STEM plays a huge part in directing the future and women need equal opportunity to shape that direction. We must work together to ensure that girls are inspired and empowered to explore future careers in STEM. It is possible that many girls and women are not aware that there are initiatives that are specially designed for them. Let's uplift the girls and women in our lives and communities to join STEM programs and to pursue careers in these fields!