Women In Stem: An Uprising

In March, we observe Women’s History Month, with the 2024 theme focusing on celebrating women who champion equity, diversity, and inclusion. This theme highlights the global acknowledgment of bias’s impact on women’s careers, particularly in professions. Despite women comprising nearly 50% of non-STEM occupations, they only represent 29.2% of the STEM workforce across 146 nations (Global STEM Workforce – Society of Women Engineers, n.d.). Despite this disparity, numerous women have made significant contributions to STEM, challenging traditional norms and leaving a lasting legacy.

Jedidiah Isler

Dr. Jedidah Isler made history as the first African American woman to earn a PhD in astrophysics from Yale University. In her journey, she encountered the stark reality of being a minority in the field of STEM, particularly as a Black woman interested in astrophysics. 

Despite facing numerous challenges, including the lack of representation and systemic barriers, Dr. Isler remained determined to pursue her passion for astrophysics. She recognizes the unique obstacles faced by young women of color at the intersection of race and gender, as well as other factors such as socioeconomic status. 

In a video by PBS NewsHour, Dr. Isler reminisces of her challenges as a Black woman in stem throughout her years of education. “It wasn’t until I got later on in my career, high school, college, graduate school, where it became obvious to me that there weren’t very many people who looked like me— that is, as a Black woman interested in astrophysics, that I knew. But when I graduated from Yale with my PhD in astrophysics, studying these blazars, which you all should study, when I did that, I unwittingly became the first Black woman to do so. There are so many barriers that remain in the way of students’ access and achievement” (Dr. Jedidah Isler On Bringing More Women Of Color Into STEM, 2019).

As much as she emphasizes her love for astrophysics, Dr. Isler is very aware of the barriers that young women, especially young women of color, face going into STEM. In an article published to Syracuse University News, Dr. Isler says that “young women of color often face unique barriers as a result of their position at the intersection of race and gender, not to mention class, socioeconomic status and potentially a number of other identities” (Moritz, 2014). To address these barriers and support underrepresented individuals in STEM, Dr. Isler founded VanguardSTEM, an online network aimed at providing a supportive community for Black and Indigenous girls, women, and nonbinary people of color in STEM fields. In an interview with PBS NewsHour, she notes that the goal of VanguardSTEM is to bring these individuals with the unique experience of being a girl, woman, or nonbinary person in STEM together once a month to “have conversations about mental health, about being free, about being happy and pursuing their STEM interests and identities” (Dr. Jedidah Isler On Bringing More Women Of Color Into STEM, 2019).

Diana Trujillo

Diana Trujillo, an aerospace engineer at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, is a notable figure in STEM. She co-created and hosted ‘Juntos Perseveramos,’ NASA’s first-ever Spanish-language live broadcast of a planetary landing. Trujillo is a passionate advocate for diversity in STEM and holds the distinction of being the first Hispanic immigrant woman accepted into NASA’s academy program.

In response to a question in an interview with ‘JPMorgan Chase & Co.’ centered around what she believed the future of women in stem may look like, Trujillo replied “I think the industry’s opening the possibilities for women by actually considering them. It’s unfortunate that women don’t get these opportunities simply because they aren’t considered an option. The workforce finally understands that if we focus on the target, it doesn’t matter who’s solving it” (One Female Engineer Shatters Space’s Glass Ceiling, n.d.)

Taking STEM by Storm

In spite of the significant gender gap in STEM, a study from 2011 showed that companies with more women on their boards outperformed rivals by 42% higher return in sales, 66% higher return on invested capital, and 53% higher return on equity (Lord Davies of Abersoch, CBE, 2011). This gap has persisted throughout all levels of STEM disciplines worldwide and despite the progress, women are still facing underrepresentation in these fields.

International Women’s Day

March 8th is designated International Women’s Day, and the theme for 2024 is ‘Invest in women: Accelerate Progress’, centering on giving women equal opportunities and investing in the health, wellbeing and sustainable livelihood of women.

International Women’s Day is a chance to remind ourselves of the contributions women make on a daily basis and the unmet mission of gender equality. To allow equal opportunity, opportunities must be provided. The mission starts with creating space for women to exercise their potential.

In the words of aerospace engineer Diana Trujillo, “I’m not asking you to give me a free pass, I’m just asking you to unlock the door. I can open it for myself and walk in, right?” (One Female Engineer Shatters Space’s Glass Ceiling, n.d.).

References

Global STEM Workforce – Society of Women Engineers. (n.d.). Society of Women Engineers. https://swe.org/research/2023/global-stem workforce/#:~:text=According%20to%20the%20Global%20Gender,%%20of%20non-STEM%20occupations.

Dr. Jedidah Isler on bringing more women of color into STEM. (2019, January 4). [Video]. PBS.org. https://www.pbs.org/video/brief-but-spectacular-1546641557/

Moritz, C. (2014, March 27). Getting to know: Astrophysicist Jedidah Isler. SU News. https://news.syr.edu/blog/2014/03/25/getting-to-know-astrophysicist-jedidah-isler-74966/

One female engineer shatters space’s glass ceiling. (n.d.). JP Morgan & Co. https://www.jpmorganchase.com/news-stories/one-female-engineer-shatters-space-glass-ceiling

Lord Davies of Abersoch, CBE. (2011). Women on boards. In Women on Boards [Report]. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a78c710e5274a277e68f637/11-745-women-on-boards.pdf