I am counting down the days until I leave for a LEARNZ field trip to Antarctica. The planning and preparation for the journey has been intense: everything from completing a medical to creating a website for students to follow the adventure.
A few days ago I met two members from the science team that we will follow while down on the ice. Inga Smith and Greg Leonard made time to chat about the work they will be doing from a field camp on the sea ice, 15 kilometres away from New Zealand’s Scott Base.
Inga is a physicist and interested in the interactions between the ocean, ice shelves and sea ice, but she is also passionate about equality in education. Our conversation quickly changed from: why the melting of ice shelves can lead to more sea ice over winter in parts of Antarctica to how can we encourage more women to study physics?
Inga produced some sobering statistics about the lack of women studying STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) subjects at university and when I did my own research I have to admit I was startled by the results:
- Women in New Zealand make up less than a quarter of those studying for a Bachelor of Science in Engineering and just over a third of those studying for a Bachelor of Science in Information Technology.
- There are approximately 31,000 architects, engineers and related professionals employed in New Zealand. Of these, only 13.2 per cent are female.
- There are approximately 22,000 physical science and engineering technicians employed in New Zealand, 16.1 per cent of whom are female.
- The current level of female representation in engineering is low compared to other professions, such as accountancy, law and medicine.
While considering these figures we need to remember that women represent 51 per cent of the population and 47 per cent of the workforce.
These numbers are particularly concerning when we take into account the fact that girls perform as well as boys in Year 13 mathematics with calculus, physics, and chemistry. So why are more female students choosing to study biology-based subjects rather than physics, IT and engineering compared to boys?
Inga believes that females have a tendency to choose subjects that they believe they can succeed at through work rather than innate intelligence. “There is still a lack of female representation in hard sciences in many universities so it’s more difficult for girls to see that it is something that’s possible for them”.
Why does it matter?
Firstly, there is a skills shortage facing the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) sectors. These industries are growing and therefore face a potential skill shortage, a shortage that could be eased by encouraging more women into the sector.
Secondly if women aren’t involved in the research, design and creation of new products and services, then it’s unlikely the products will actually meet their needs. Women can bring their own form of innovation and creativity and contribute to what the future of the world will look like.
Thirdly research by The National Centre for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT) shows that companies and teams with greater gender diversity solve complex problems better and faster, and are more likely to experiment, to be creative, to share knowledge, and to complete tasks.
There has never been a more exciting time to study how our world works. Human society faces major challenges such as managing the impacts of climate change so surely we should be trying to encourage and harness the strengths that both genders bring to the STEM sector.
Alison Craigie is a site engineer working on the Great North Road Interchange in Auckland. Alison is a mentor through the Future in Tech programme encouraging more girls to consider engineering as a career. Alison also connected with students from across New Zealand through the LEARNZ Waterview Connection field trip.
So how can we encourage more girls in STEM
We need to get our students interested in the opportunities that STEM provides from an early age. The ‘Maker Movement’ is one way to develop this. This movement has grown out of a desire to use technology for active creation rather than passive consumption. Advances in the areas of 3D printing, programming, electronics and robotics mean that it’s possible for learners of all ages, regardless of gender, to be creators and solvers of problems using technology.
As a country, we stand to gain a lot from encouraging young girls in STEM fields and mentoring those who are interested. Correcting the negative perceptions that girls can develop at a young age and fostering confidence would lead to more girls embracing STEM when they reach high school, rather than avoiding these subjects.
Special programmes designed just for girls can provide extra opportunities to approach STEM challenges. Google’s Made with Code is an example.
Community initiatives can connect students to relevant projects and female mentors can be powerful role models for girls as long as these mentors are carefully chosen, enthusiastic and willing to embrace this role.
Online programmes can also connect students with inspiring contexts, people and possible career opportunities. Through the Future in Tech programme Alison Craigie a site engineer has visited schools to encourage more girls to consider engineering as a career. Future in Tech shares the career experiences of New Zealand's technologists, engineers and scientists to help students decide if a job like theirs is right for them.
LEARNZ is another way of showing students where proficiency in STEM can lead. What better way to inspire the next generation of physicists, than to connect with people like Inga down in Antarctica through live audioconferences, viewing daily videos and discovering the importance of her work. You can find out more through the LEARNZ website.
Students can be inspired by connecting with scientists during the LEARNZ Antarctica field trip.
Other field trips which promote STEM include the Waterview Connection field trip in partnership with NZTA where students were able to meet a variety of engineers and see the types of jobs that they too could work towards. You can find more STEM related field trips here.
Talking to Inga made me realise that we can all play a part in breaking down the gender stereotypes that persist in STEM. Inga also reminded me that we can’t begin to find solutions until we acknowledge that there is a problem.
- Uni Tech Institute of Technology, Advance Magazine: Encouraging Women into Stem Subjects (T Caffell)
- Association for Women in the Sciences AWIS: Women in Science a 2011 Snapshot (PDF)
- National Advisory Council on the Employment of Women: Women in Innovation