How might we increase the visibility of women of colour and foster an environment of inclusivity to encourage women to pursue STEM fields?
It's a relatively well-known fact that many STEM fields suffer from an underwhelming and obvious lack of women. Even though women still pursue these fields in minimal numbers, many upon either graduating or entering the workplace, do not end up staying in their chosen fields and instead pursue other avenues. We wanted to research and learn more about why women were leaving these fields after showing such passion and dedication to their lifetime dream.
Exploring the intricacies of gender inequality in STEM, this project aimed to employ a systems-thinking approach. The focus was on understanding the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and their localized manifestation, using a systems map to gain a comprehensive view. Aiming to address the lack of inclusiveness for women, especially women of colour, in STEM fields, the project set out to uncover the barriers and access points at various levels, from education to workplaces. This systemic exploration served as a foundation for designing impactful solutions.
In collaboration with Shania D'Costa.
Through research, the project revealed systemic problems that track women away from STEM fields. The complexities arise from educational, cultural, power dynamics, and media influences. Women of color face heightened challenges in a male-dominated field, experiencing barriers such as micro-aggressions and intrinsic biases. The concept of access points emerged, highlighting solutions like mentorship programs, curriculum changes, and workplace training. The goal was not a cure-all solution but to open doors for conversations and initiate change. To gain a deeper understanding of the system, subject-matter-expert (SME) interviews were conducted.
Redefining Success
Dr. Amanda Williams
Dr. Amanda Williams, a communication studies professor at Mount Royal University, specializes in communication theory, research methods, and media history. With over ten years of teaching experience, she instructs common communication classes and specific courses for journalism and broadcasting students. Her recent summer work focused on entrepreneurship attitudes in Canada, highlighting a significant demographic of female entrepreneurs in Alberta over the age of 24. However, she noted that youth entrepreneurs (18-24) numbers are lower in Alberta than in other provinces. Dr. Williams identified challenges for female entrepreneurs, including access to capital, self-recognition, managing household and work obligations, childcare access, lack of role models, and infrastructural constraints. She emphasized the critical need for women to access capital for business startups and highlighted crowdfunding as a positive step, with women often surpassing their funding targets. Dr. Williams acknowledged the importance of breaking down barriers for women in entrepreneurship, emphasizing the need for incremental changes, increased role models, and supportive networks to encourage women to pursue and persist in STEM fields.
Dr. Laleh Behjat, a professor in Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Calgary, focuses on electronic design automation and optimization in large-scale applications. Recognized for her dedication to diversity and inclusion in engineering, she received the Women in Engineering and Geoscience Award in 2015 and serves as the NSERC Chair for Women in Science and Engineering (Prairies). Dr. Behjat identifies barriers for engineering students, citing a lack of extensive knowledge in mathematical principles as a weak foundation causing issues in subsequent courses like physics. The order in which these courses are taken is crucial, and unlike men who view difficulties as surmountable challenges, women often attribute confusion to their gender, questioning if engineering is suitable for them. Internalized notions that women aren't meant for math, sciences, or technology, coupled with implicit biases, contribute to the barriers hindering women's entry into STEM fields. As NSERC Chair, her goals include encouraging girls in STEM careers, celebrating women role models, and implementing strategies for regional and national impact. Dr. Behjat advocates for awareness of biases, conscious assessment of actions, and the creation of systems designed for women to thrive in STEM classrooms and workplaces.
The World for Women
Dr. Laleh Behjat
Higher than the Moon
Dr. Pamini Thangarajah
Dr. Pamini Thangarajah, a mathematician at Mount Royal University, recounts her journey in a male-dominated field, facing discrimination from male peers but finding unwavering support from her father. She discusses the generational and cultural gaps that influence women's roles and emphasizes the importance of encouraging girls in STEM from an early age, challenging stereotypes, and fostering confidence. Dr. Thangarajah underscores the significance of providing role models for inspiration and believes in demonstrating capabilities to prove doubters wrong. The key, she asserts, is fostering a mindset that allows girls to reach beyond perceived limits.
"And parents and teachers play a big role in this. So, it’s important for girls to have an anchor, someone they can turn to and look at for inspiration and motivation. Be that for them and watch them reach higher than the moon."
Girls and women are systematically tracked away from science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields throughout their lives. This is often done through our education system, cultural influences, dynamics of power and gender, and the media. These, in turn, create a multitude of barriers and roadblocks for women studying or working in these fields. Additionally, being a woman of colour adds on to those barriers and presents a completely different spectrum of challenges. STEM fields remain heavily male-dominated while women face a lack of opportunities, mentors, and role models. It’s necessary to address this growing issue so that women in these fields can be recognized and supported. Unfortunately, there are currently more barriers than access points for this problem and there are a plethora of stakeholders that contribute to it. One of the biggest contributors is perhaps the lack of awareness and acknowledgment of this issue.
The interactive system map, featured below, aims to explore the connections between barriers, access points, and various stakeholders, and displays the fact that while our society is a current contributor to this problem, the solution also lies in our hands.