What can be done to increase diversity in STEAM fields?
It’s critical to engage students early in life—the sooner young girls can be introduced to STEAM subjects the better. It’s also important to create a sense of belonging so that students of all backgrounds feel welcome and valued in STEAM classrooms. I know firsthand how isolating it can be to be part of a small group of women—or sometimes the only woman—in engineering courses. Over the years, I watched the number of women in my Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences class at UC Berkeley dwindle, which came as no surprise back then. If we want more diversity, STEAM can’t be a private club—we need to adopt a more welcoming and inviting environment so everyone is free to learn (and sometimes fail) without judgment. And men should be advocating for the same, of course: more diverse classrooms and workplaces lead to diversity of thought and ultimately, better decision-making. Everyone benefits, so everyone should care.
How is the world changing with respect to STEAM?
Gender roles and societal pressures are changing, slowly creating new opportunities for young women, especially with more early STEAM education. Technology advancements are rapidly opening new careers in artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and renewable energy. We’ve only seen the beginning, and the next decade will be exciting to watch!
What can be done to move women forward in STEAM?
I’d love to see a greater focus on workplace policies such as remote work, parental leave, childcare support, and return-to-work policies after extended parenting leaves. These sorts of measures pay huge dividends. As I mentioned earlier, some companies and even law firms are beginning to offer onsite childcare—it would be great to see more of this! Ultimately, policies that prioritize long-term returns over immediate gains could significantly impact female retention and growth in STEAM.
Where do you see women in STEAM in five years?
I hope to see more progress in closing the gender pay gap over the next five years, though this sort of advancement is often slow. It would be great to see a shift in organizations and companies prioritizing flexible work policies that help to open doors for working families. And I’d love to see more robust advocacy for women at the legislative level, particularly as it relates to parental leave and childcare. There’s no question that these sorts of changes could boost both retention and satisfaction and ideally, the number of women in STEAM leadership roles. I doubt these changes will happen within five years, but I’m hopeful that we can move towards these goals. When women succeed, we all succeed.
