The world population is projected to reach 10 billion by 2050 (gasp!), which firmly establishes the availability of natural resources as our biggest challenge for the future, both near and far.  That means stretching food, water, and energy supplies to unimaginable levels, as well as making sure that our societal infrastructures, waste management systems, and medical technologies can accommodate the exponentially growing community of Homo sapiens.

Given the desire to ensure the survival of our species, it has been internationally recognized that innovations in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics – collectively known as STEM – will play a critical role.  Hard-working and forward-thinking nations such as China and India are making major contributions to advancements in STEM, including the creation of a highly skilled STEM workforce.  If the United States is going to maintain its status as a global competitor, we must do the same. 

The direct function that STEM will have on increasing the well being of both our planet and economy underscores the importance of a quality STEM education.  That cliché “the children are our future” couldn’t be more relevant.  And if we are going to maximize efficiency when it comes to generating a qualified workforce, we must make sure that all members of our society are given an equal chance to make a contribution.  However, as it stands right now, many of the fields under the STEM umbrella are disproportionately male.

While some people do not see the underrepresentation of women in STEM as a problem, I will have to passionately disagree.  Not only are we neglecting a large portion of potential superstars in talent pool and ultimately reducing the probability for making major scientific and technological breakthroughs, we are also possibly neglecting half of our population by introducing a skewed perspective when it comes to STEM advancements.  For instance, as described in Unlocking the Clubhouse: Women in Computing, early computer voice recognition software was designed without considering the female voice, leaving the technology practically useless for women.

But the reasons for increasing opportunities for women in STEM occupations go beyond equal representation of our population.  According to Harvard professors Anita Woolley and Thomas Malone, the inclusion of women on a team actually increases the collective intelligence of said team.  While the underlying explanations for this have not been completely worked out, it is thought that women have heightened social sensitivity and are more likely to work together.  These sentiments are reiterated by the technologist and entrepreneur Audrey MacLean as she describes her classroom dynamics:

In my class, I require the students to form teams to do a four-person project. I don’t assign the teams. I’ve noticed the guys seek the women out as teammates. I think the women are particularly good at bringing the team together and at presenting, which are extremely important skills when developing a product. Female engineers are also sought after. Women make up half the population, and companies want user interfaces that appeal to all buyers. In addition to generally being more collaborative, women have an intuitive sense of usability that leads to better products.       

In an attempt to explain why fewer women are advancing in many STEM fields, the American Advancement of University Women (AAUW) recently published a research report entitled Why So Few? Women in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics, which concluded that the negative stereotypes surrounding the ability of girls to compete with their male counterparts in STEM subjects can significantly affect female academic performance.  However, it has also been shown that discussing these biases and arming females with tactics to counteract them can help, such as promoting the achievements of women in STEM (see my post On how we need more female STEM celebrities on The Mother Geek).

The lack of women in STEM careers is a federally recognized issue and our government has initiated several programs aimed to encourage young girls to study subjects relating to STEM.  The AAUW also hosted an entire conference in June of this year to address the lack of women in STEM in more detail.  Furthermore, Working Mother recently highlighted the Most Powerful Moms in STEM, bringing to light that being a mother and a successful career woman was within the realm of possibility. 

But the realities of actually retaining women in STEM occupations are harsh, especially when considering taking time off for child rearing.  It’s unfortunate that female STEM professionals often feel the need to hide their pregnancies in order to save face with their co-workers, as if being pregnant means you are less capable (is it apparent that I am speaking from experience?).  It is true that we have made progress with this issue.  But it is clear that we still have a long way to go. 

Driving home this point is the “childfree” movement, where many women forgo having a family in order to ensure career advancement.  This is a personal choice and I think every woman should be able to decide if having a brood is right for her desired lifestyle.  The uncomfortable truth is that having children does add some extra complications while climbing the career ladder.  And this, in my opinion, is what needs to change. 

In this dog eat dog world, we often lose sight of what is really important.  While this might vary from person to person, I could make a logical guess and say that your job does not occupy the first slot on the list.  For me, I need to know that when my kids are sick, I can comfortably take a day off without negatively affecting my performance evaluation.  Even more importantly, I do not want to see my career significantly slow down because I wish to take a civilized maternity leave. 

Because I am willing to stand up for these rights along side some very amazing women in STEM, I was truly appalled by Dr. Karen Sibert’s NY Times Op-Ed piece where she criticized female doctors who worked part time after having children.  There, she argued that women should “…consider the conflicting demands that medicine and parenthood make before they accept (and deny to others) sought-after positions in medical school and residency. They must understand that medical education is a privilege, not an entitlement, and it confers a real moral obligation to serve.” 

Of course, this was the catalyst for a battery of blog posts and comments, notably from Dr. Jen (here on Working Mother), Dr. Isis, and various commenters on the Motherlode blog.  Instead, I say that it is a privilege to be a parent and the real moral obligation begins in the home.  It is our duty to raise upstanding citizens and to do that, we have to at least make an attempt to be nominated for the Mother-of-the-Year award. 

Editorial setbacks notwithstanding, we do need to implement better strategies for increasing opportunities for women in STEM.  While there is no replacement for hard work and perseverance, the playing field needs to be level for all those willing to show up for try-outs.  We need to learn from the inclusive approaches made by MIT president and energy innovator Susan Hockfield.  We need to thank top female scientists like Elena Aprile, Joy Hirsch, Mary-Claire King and Tal Rabin for helping to pave the way for the next generation of female scientists.  But, most importantly, we need to engage our children and let them know that they can treat patients, build a bridge, research cancer, code software, study the cosmos, or even the deep sea. 

With each successive generation, I hope that we will be able to dilute out the negative stereotypes associated with female intelligence and productivity.  While we wait, I look forward to working with my STEM brethren in order to help our community and our planet remain viable and pleasant.