2017 Issue

28 Utah Women and STEM Setting the Stage Employment opportunities in Science, Technology, Engi- neering, and Math (STEM) sectors in Utah are estimated to reach 101,000 by 2018. 1 These jobs are recognized nation- wide as being well compensated and generally recession proof. Yet Utah women continue to hold a lower percent- age of STEM sector jobs than women nationally; in fact, Utah is ranked last in the U.S. in terms of the percent of women employed in STEM. In addition, Utah women work in STEM occupations at a rate that is less than half that of Utah men. 2 Recognizing the role women must play as an integral part of a strong statewide workforce, Utah edu- cational and civic leaders are working to increase oppor- tunities and pathways for more Utah women to enter and thrive in STEM fields. This research snapshot reviews three key areas: 1. Current STEM employment data in Utah and nation- wide, 2. Possible explanations for the persistent gender gap in STEM, and 3. A discussion of ongoing efforts in Utah to increase female participation and success in STEM fields. Employment Data The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that, between 2010 and 2020, total employment in science and engineering will increase at a higher rate than all other occupations: 18.7% vs. 14.3%. 3 While Utah currently boasts a 3.7% unemploy- ment rate (6th-lowest in the U.S.), STEM occupations ac- count for only 4.56% of Utah’s workforce, slightly below the 4.58% national average. 4 Recently, Utah has improved its national ranking for individuals in science and engineering occupations as a percentage of all occupations: from 19 th in 2013 to 13 th in 2014. 5 Yet, Utah women are not necessarily part of this growth, as they lag behind men in STEM partic- ipation. A 2011 study by the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce highlights the persisting lack of gender diversity across the nation within STEM ed- ucation and the STEM occupations that are acknowledged Authors: Susan R. Madsen (Orin R. Woodbury Professor of Leader- ship & Ethics, Utah Valley University, madsensu@uvu.edu ), Elizabeth Goryunova (Adjunct Professor, University of Utah), and Robbyn T. Scribner (Research Fellow, Utah Valley University). For information: www.uvu.edu/uwlp as being among the most influential and high-paying sectors. 6 Nationally, a 2015 report by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Sta- tistics illustrates that women remain marginalized within STEM, both in management (from 0% for natural sciences, 7.6% for engineering, to 26.7% for information technology) and professional occupations (15.4% for engineering and 25.6% for computers and math). 7 This situation is likely even worse in Utah, as shown by a 2015 report from the Institute for Women’s Policy Research that estimates that women comprise only 23.5% of all STEM-sector workers in Utah, as compared to 28.8% for women nationwide. That amounts to only 5.2% of Utah women employed in STEM occupa- tions, compared to 13.2% of men. Utah is ranked 51st out of 50 states and D.C. in this category. 8 Possible Explanations for the Gender Gap The U.S. Department of Commerce recognizes STEM education as the clear pathway to STEM sector jobs, 9 yet educational statistics demonstrate an inadequate supply of talent in the STEM jobs pipeline among workers both in Utah and nationwide. In 2012–2013, 16.6%of bachelor’s degrees confer-red by Utah’s post-secondary institu-tions were in STEM disciplines, a sliver above the national average of 16.5%. 10 Overall, STEM career progression is frequently referred to as a “leaky pipeline” because of a diminishing interest in science and math as students move through the educational system. 11 However, the decline is particularly true of female students, as gender stereotypes and a scarcity of female STEM role models continue to af- fect decisions made by girls and women in regards to their education and future career. 12 In the U.S., only 12% of women with bachelor’s degrees choose STEM majors, compared to 28% of men. 13 A recent survey of high school students showed that males ex- pressed much higher interest in pursuing careers in STEM. The Utah graduating class of 2017 showed the highest gap compared to previous years between male and female aspi- rations to enter STEM careers, at almost 30% overall (42.8% male vs. 13.3% female). 14 In 2012, women in Utah received only 20% of the total number of degrees or certificates awarded in seven STEM fields across the public colleges and universities in the state. The fields that had the lowest percentage of female graduates were engineering tech (11% female), engineering (12%), and computer/information sciences (13%). The STEM fields with the highest percent- age of female graduates were math and statistics (36%), bi- ological/biomedical (38%), and science technicians (39%). 15 In addition, the graduation rate in certain STEM fields is