NSF Launches New Inclusion Initiative to Broaden Participation in STEM
The National Science Foundation (NSF) announced that it would commit up to $12.5 million in pilot grants to test novel ways of broadening participation in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).
Initiatives Announced to Help Young Women Overcome Roadblocks in STEM Education
Several recent studies have identified the roadblocks that females face in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields. These two roadblocks include gender bias in the classroom and too few mentors in K-16 STEM fields. In an attempt to increase opportunities for females in STEM education, both federal and foundation funders have announced programs that will increase scholarship and internship opportunities for young women in STEM fields.
Highlighting Women in Tech Could Help Diversify S&T Workforce, According to Study
Lack of female role models is a key deterrant for women cosnidering entry in S&T fields, according to a recent study. Sociology professor Dr. Catherine Riegle-Crumb of the Population Research Center at the University of Texas investigated why there are comparatively few women compared to men in technology and other STEM fields.
Race-Based Stereotypes Hamper STEM Participation Among African-American Women
Although black women may show more interest in STEM majors than white women as they enter college, they are less likely to earn a degree in those fields according to new research in Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology.
Women Still Make Up Small Portion of STEM Workforce A Decade Later
Women are still vastly underrepresented in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) jobs and have been for the past decade, even as their share of the college-educated workforce has increased, finds a new report from the Commerce Department's Economic and Statistics Administration. Women occupy only 24 percent of STEM jobs today, compared to 48 percent of all jobs, and although the gender wage gap is smaller (14 percent in STEM fields compared to 21 percent in non-STEM occupations), a clear gender disparity exists nonetheless.
NSF finds gender inclusion benefit within programs
In a report of FY 2011-2016 data, the National Science Foundation finds that rate of female participants in its currently-funded Engineering Research Centers (ERCs) may be higher than for overall engineering programs. Specifically, participation among female faculty is better by about seven percent, by about 15 percent among female undergraduates, and a more modest 1-2 percent increase among doctorate students.
Cohorts and other strategies to help individuals from underrepresented groups graduate with STEM degrees
While diversity plays a critical role in both improving the quality and increasing the rate of innovation, women and several minority groups remain underrepresented in STEM fields. Several studies find that improving the retention rate of women and other underrepresented groups in STEM at the college level can have significant impacts on improving the diversity and representativeness of the STEM workforce.
While diversity plays a critical role in both improving the quality and increasing the rate of innovation, women and several minority groups remain underrepresented in STEM fields. Several studies find that improving the retention rate of women and other underrepresented groups in STEM at the college level can have significant impacts on improving the diversity and representativeness of the STEM workforce. For women and other underrepresented groups, the college experience can create unique roadblocks and barriers that ultimately cause them to switch majors or even leave college. Several recent studies have examined strategies to improve the retention rate of women and other underrepresented groups in STEM degrees at institution of higher education. The strategies range from pre-college STEM academies to establishing cohorts of underrepresented students.
Second set of NSF INCLUDES awards focuses on increasing STEM diversity
The National Science Foundation (NSF) has announced the recipients of 27 Design and Development Launch Pilots as part of its INCLUDES initiative. The initiative is aimed at enhancing U.S. leadership in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) discoveries and innovations through a commitment to diversity and inclusion. The 27 pilots feature public-private partnerships that will develop blueprints for broadening STEM participation and are funded through two-year, $300,000 grants.
NSF awards $40 million to help build diverse STEM workforce
The National Science Foundation recently announced the four 2022 NSF INCLUDES awardees. These new alliances will each receive $10 million over five years to contribute to building an inclusive STEM workforce. The awardees will tackle issues like increasing data science capacity at minority-serving institutions (MSIs), increasing the representation of Native American and Alaska Native students in STEM fields, and supporting equitable pathways to postdoctoral fellowship positions.
The 2022 NSF INCLUDES Alliances are:
NASEM report recommends a way forward to increase antiracism, diversity, equity and inclusion in STEMM
A report many years in the making was released this week by the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine (NASEM) that, for the first time in the organization’s history, confronts racism in its title. After the summer of 2020, following the murder of George Floyd and the Black Lives Matter protests, federal agencies and private foundations prioritized sponsoring a report on antiracism and diversity, equity and inclusion, focused on science, technology, engineering, math and medicine (STEMM).