FCCN Unit data analyst Nika Shahidian shares her testimony on the role and relevance of women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. During the month of March, the FCCN Unit is joining the GÉANT #WomenInSTEM campaign, sharing the opinions of several of its employees on this topic.
As women, from a young age, we lose interest in male-dominated fields, wanting to pursue fields where the role of women is already established and following in the footsteps of working women who opened so many doors for us. But now it's our turn! Engineering and technology jobs are predominantly held by men, driving away ambitious women with so much potential. We have a duty to open doors for the next generation of working women and close the gap in women's representation in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields.
From a young age, we make choices that direct us toward a specific career path. Only 211% of engineering students and 191% of computer science students are women, despite these being some of the most lucrative fields. If a worker in a STEM field earns two-thirds more than workers in other fields, then how can we explain the regular exclusion of women? Even within STEM, the most lucrative occupations are those with the lowest percentage of women. The truth is, this exclusion of women from some of today's highest-paying jobs only serves to exacerbate and prolong the gender pay gap.
How do we intend to end the stereotypes that STEM fields are better suited for men? How do we convince women that choosing male-dominated fields won't discriminate against them? Or rather, how do we end this discrimination? Only by recognizing and normalizing women's presence in STEM will we be able to end the culture of male exclusivity, which so alienates women who simply seek a space with equal opportunities.
This responsibility falls to all of us. It's up to parents and teachers to support and encourage women's interest in STEM, strengthening their skills and abilities. It's up to men working in STEM to recognize the role of women and adapt the work environment, making it friendly and attractive to minorities, and ensuring equal opportunities. And it's up to women to recognize their ability to overcome the challenges they will face and not underestimate their abilities. Confidence and perseverance are required from women, but nothing is possible without due recognition and respect in the workplace.
Finally, I'd like to leave you with the following note: The idea is that encouraging women into STEM should focus on future generations and young people who are in the process of choosing their career paths. If there's one thing the professional world teaches us, it's that it's never too late to change career paths. Living in a world with so many available training courses and free information, expanding our horizons of knowledge has never been so accessible.www.nau.edu.pt). We've heard all our lives that engineering and technology are better suited for men, but now let's think about how ridiculous this stereotype really is! We can't continue to live in a world where only 28% of STEM jobs are held by women.
