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Soon after Dr. Denise Kinsey began her career, she became one of just 14 women working at a Fortune 500 company. Of those women, she was the only one without an assistant or administrative title.
She was an analyst, which made her a woman working in a STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) career.
While most of her colleagues welcomed and mentored her, one referred to her as “token” — employed for the sake of the company’s appearance.
“In his mind, I was not a full-fledged member of the team but only there because I was a woman, so I was not competent,” Kinsey said.
While his comments made her pause, Kinsey didn't let them stop her from sharing her ideas and effectively launching her career in cybersecurity. Now she serves as the technical program facilitator of cyber security programs at Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU), with the goal of giving every student a chance to succeed.
“If I had not stood up to the bullying and shared what I knew to be a good idea, I would not be here now,” Kinsey said. “I deserved a chance and a seat at the table.”
How Many Women are in STEM?
Analysis and cyber security are just two elements of the broad career paths that encompass STEM, a field historically dominated by men. In 1970, women made up 8% of the STEM field, according to the United States Census Bureau. By 2019, nearly a quarter of a century later, they comprised 27% of the positions.
Women in STEM statistics vary once you look at gender representation by field. As reported by the United States Census Bureau, women made up the following percentages in 2019:
- Mathematical workers: 47%
- Physical scientists: 45%
- Computer workers: 25%
- Engineers: 15%
And when you consider the representation of race and ethnicity, there's an even larger imbalance. Pew Research reported that only 9% of all STEM positions are held by Black workers, indicating an even more significant gap for intersectional women of color working in STEM. And only 8% of STEM positions belong to Hispanic workers.
Why is There a Lack of Women in STEM?
From Grace Hopper, an early pioneer in computer programming, to Katherine Johnson’s contributions as a space scientist, women have been proving their value to STEM fields for years and years.
So why are there fewer women in STEM than men? There are many possible reasons.
One could be the lower percentage of women earning degrees in the field. In a 2021 report, Pew Research Center reported that women accounted for fewer bachelor’s degrees than men in the majority of STEM disciplines (Pew Research PDF Source). Women earned:
- 19% of computer science degrees
- 22% of engineering degrees
- 40% of physical science degrees
- 42% of mathematics degrees
But a lack of job prospects is not a barrier; there’s room for women to join. According to Dr. Anat Eshed, the assistant vice president of strategy, architecture and performance at SNHU, the field is growing and adding positions faster than they can be filled. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects a 10.8% employment growth in STEM occupations through 2031. That’s more than double the 5.3% growth for all occupations.
What may be a barrier, though, is the stigma women in the field have faced historically, combined with imposter syndrome. “I belonged but did not feel that way,” Kinsey said about her early career.
Adding more women to the field can help reduce both deterrents.
“While I am very grateful for the men who mentored me early in my career, it is not the same,” Kinsey said. “If I had a woman mentor when I was starting out, I think things would have been easier. She would have understood what it was like to be ignored and perceived to be incapable because of my gender.”
And with more women, more people would recognize their abilities.
“Just as we have learned that we need to include the people affected by our decisions in the decision-making process to get better buy-in, so too have we learned that inclusion of more voices and more perspectives often leads to superior solutions,” Kinsey said.
How You Can Get Into STEM
While there isn’t one straight pathway into a STEM career, there are some general strategies that will help.
First, and foremost, if you doubt yourself or your goals, remind yourself that you can do it.
“There is no reason in the world you can’t become a STEM professional, and do not let anyone ever tell you or make you feel otherwise,” Eshed said.
You can also take advantage of events and resources in place to help diversify the STEM field. There are annual conferences, for instance, that you could attend. Some examples include:
- ACM Richard Tapia Celebration of Diversity in Computing
- Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing
- Women in Cybersecurity (WiCyS)
Education is also an important component. You’ll typically need at least an associate degree to enter a STEM profession, according to BLS, although some roles require more. There are many types of scholarships and grants that you can apply for, too, to help you pay for college — including some for women with a desire to study a discipline within STEM.
Find out how to get a scholarship.
So which degree will you need? It’ll come down to your interests and career goals.
Best STEM Majors for Women
While there is no "right" degree to pursue, you'll find that some options are better than others. Online programs, for instance, allow you to carry on your life as you learn.
“I think the addition of the online learning environment provides opportunities for those unable to sit in a classroom daily,” said Dr. Albanie T. Bolton, an adjunct in computer science and information technology programs. “It is a flexible option for those who want to advance their careers or learn new skills on their own time.”
Accreditation is also important to guaranteeing quality education; some professions need to see your degree is from an accredited university, and it can be necessary if you want to advance your education at some point down the road.
Here are some programs within each area of STEM that you might consider:
Science Majors
If you love understanding how the world and life work and enjoy using science to solve problems, this area of STEM is right for you. Some science majors to consider include:
- Biology degree
- Environmental science degree
- Geosciences degree
- Physics degree
“It’s important to understand that these chemicals can not only be unsafe for human health by getting into drinking water supply wells but can affect sensitive ecosystems,” Trahan said.
The courses and projects she completed as a student, including one involving the SNHU campus Arboretum, introduced her to information, skills and processes she now uses daily.
“My classes at SNHU taught me how to evaluate all technical data for a specific situation, and problem solve the best way to remediate or protect the environment,” she said.
Technology Majors
Technology is all around, and you’re constantly interacting with it. You’re probably reading this on a phone or a computer. Consider one of these technology degrees if you want to help determine what else is possible with technology:
- Computer science degree
- Cyber security degree
- Game programming degree
- Information technology (IT) degree
Llanos Cramer uses a slew of tools to look for vulnerabilities in the bank’s applications, reviews and streamlines processes and keeps vulnerability templates up to date. Soon she’ll also assist with vulnerability remediation and deliver monthly presentations to a security forum series.
“The education I received from SNHU has definitely helped with the roles I have stepped into, especially when it comes to communication and having to speak with members of other teams and presenting information to management,” she said.
Engineering Majors
There are many different types of engineering, all of which seek to solve problems and improve civilization. The possibilities are vast in this field, and some of the majors you might consider are:
- Aeronautical engineering degree
- Electrical engineering degree
- Mechanical engineering degree
- Software engineering degree
A full-stack engineer internship with the same organization helped McCartney get her foot in the door while also giving her an idea of what career pathway would be the best fit for her.
“I would say I have learned a lot as a student with critical thinking and problem solving when problems arise at work,” McCartney said. “My program helped me a lot with teaching me coding and networking basics that have been applied almost every day at my current job.”
Mathematics Majors
Nothing thrills you more than working with numbers and formulas and data — except when you can use them to analyze and solve problems. If you’d like to focus your career on math and data, you might want to earn one of these degrees:
- Data analytics degree
- Marketing research analytics degree
- Mathematics degree
As a senior credit analyst, Garner conducts “quantitative and qualitative analysis relating to lending and banking, which includes commercial loans, impaired loans, allowance for loan loss calculations, fair lending practices and more,” she said.
The mathematical, statistical and analytical techniques she learned through her degree programs and during her time tutoring and coaching peers at SNHU have helped her in her role. “One of the biggest parts of my job is digging deeper to find the meaning behind the numbers,” Gardner said. “My education and experiences at SNHU sharpened my skills in this regard, allowing more confidence in my STEM skill set.”
Whichever STEM path you choose to travel, Kinsey recommends finding significance in everything you learn.
“Consider every course and item you learn as a tool you are gathering to put in your toolbox or a secret ingredient we are adding to our recipes,” she said. “Each has value and can be used in a multitude of ways which is why it is important to gather a collection.”
Embrace Mentorship
Like Llanos Cramer’s experience being hired into a program designed for entry-level employees, Bolton said many companies also offer programs that pair new employees with other staff members to offer support and guidance as they adjust to their roles.
Finding or building a community is especially important for women, according to Eshed. “When signals from the environment are not inherently supportive, such as in the case of promoting women’s natural place in STEM, intentional efforts to provide these signals ... are vital in supporting women who have desire to enter the field,” she said.
Over the course of her 15-year career, Bolton has witnessed the positive impact mentorship can make for those starting in the field. As a STEM educator and a technical lead for the Common Exploration Systems Department at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, she’s seen many of her mentees go on to succeed.
“Many students say that they never thought they could do it until they met me,” she said. “I am continuing to break barriers that were not open to my race and gender. They never saw someone, African American and female, that inspired them to push their boundaries. It is always welcoming to walk into a room and see someone like you."
Why is It Important to Celebrate Women in STEM?
About one in four STEM employees is a woman. That’s a significantly greater representation than there was half a century ago.
“While there have certainly been significant improvements in lowering barriers for women in STEM, there’s still a lot of work to be done in ensuring that women are welcomed, encouraged and heard,” said Dr. Rebecca Baker, the vice president of learning, design and research at SNHU.
One way to do that is to celebrate just how far the field has come — and to look ahead at where it’s continuing to go.
“It’s important to celebrate and support women who have broken through this stigma both to reinforce them in their journey and to provide a positive example for girls and women considering moving into STEM,” Baker said.
During the 2019 Grace Hopper Celebration — an annual conference committed to increasing the number of women and non-binary people in technology — SNHU students were spotted sporting shirts that read “I belong here.”
“This statement continues to solidify our coming into the world of STEM,” Bolton said. “Women are here, and we are here to stay.”
A degree can change your life. Find the SNHU STEM program that can best help you meet your goals.
Original source can be found here.
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