More inclusive industry is necessary to solve urgent societal and environmental issues.
Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) pervade nearly every part of our lives. From information systems and civil engineering to biology and biotechnology, STEM professionals have great influence on how society operates. And in the case of specialties like environmental science, they’re tasked with addressing some of the world’s most urgent threats. But despite the importance and influence of the field, and the innovation taking place within, STEM has a grave inclusion problem.
A 2021 Pew Research Center study found that Black and Hispanic employees account for just 9% and 8% of the STEM workforce, respectively[1]. Those disparities are even worse within certain specializations. For example, Black employees hold a dismal 5% of engineering jobs and 6% of life science jobs.
Gender diversity is an issue, too. Though women hold an estimated 50% of all STEM roles, they’re overrepresented in health-related jobs. In engineering and computer jobs, hires are still overwhelmingly male.
It may be unsurprising to many that STEM positions are mostly populated by White men. The same patterns have held in finance, construction, and other highly technical sectors. But it’s especially troubling in STEM because of how exclusion could affect marginalized people in the future.
Communities of color are disproportionately impacted by climate change, be it the lethal combination of extreme weather and comorbidities or many neighborhoods’ vulnerability to catastrophic weather events[2]. If environmental science continues to exclude people of color, the industry’s priorities won’t align with the help that’s actually needed. Hires from these populations could play a role in finding solutions that actually make a difference.
And zooming out, a more diverse STEM workforce would lead to greater scientific excellence, unmatched innovation, and an increased ability to compete on the global stage[3]. Everyone – existing employees, STEM companies, and diverse hires – stands to gain by making the industry more inclusive. What’s getting in the way?
As is the case in so many industries, there’s a very limited view of who does and doesn’t “look” like a qualified STEM candidate. Students of color in STEM programs experience racial microaggressions from professors, advisors, and peers, possibly leading them to abandon the career track[4]. If people of color and women leave STEM majors, it’s hard for prospective students to see themselves in those careers. Their exits also leave the pipeline depleted. Not to mention, the same discriminatory behaviors from academia persist in professional organizations.
However, these issues start even earlier, with many Black and Latinx students lacking access to STEM education in high school[5].
For diverse candidates, the STEM journey is challenging from the start and presents far more difficulties than just the rigor of their program of choice. To change the outcomes for women and students of color, we need more specialized programs that remove systemic barriers[6]. We need to effectively address implicit and explicit bias at institutions, through training, discipline, and incentivization[7]. And we need to challenge the dangerous and outdated perception that only certain candidates are qualified to be STEM workers.
Diversification is never just about numbers or appeasing critics, but in STEM, it’s absolutely crucial for the futures of millions of young women and people of color and for the planet. If STEM doesn’t become more inclusive, it’s all of us who will suffer.
[1] Fry, Richard, et al. (April 1, 2021). STEM Jobs See Uneven Progress in Increasing Gender, Racial and Ethnic Diversity. Retrieved from: https://www.pewresearch.org/science/2021/04/01/stem-jobs-see-uneven-progress-in-increasing-gender-racial-and-ethnic-diversity/
[2] Mastroianni, Brian. (April 22, 2021). How Climate Change Disproportionately Affects People of Color. Retrieved from: https://www.healthline.com/health-news/how-climate-change-disproportionately-affects-people-of-color#Rising-temperatures-and-comorbidities
[3] Gibbs, Jr., Kenneth. (September 10, 2014). Diversity in STEM: What It Is and Why It Matters. Retrieved from: https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/voices/diversity-in-stem-what-it-is-and-why-it-matters/
[4] Lee, Meggan J., et al. (September 14, 2020). “If you aren’t White, Asian or Indian, you aren’t an engineer”: racial microaggressions in STEM education. Retrieved from: https://stemeducationjournal.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/s40594-020-00241-4
[5] Milgrom-Elcott, Talia. (September 24, 2020). Students Of Color Are Missing Out On STEM Opportunities, So The Planet Is Missing Out On Their Brilliance. Retrieved from: https://www.forbes.com/sites/taliamilgromelcott/2020/09/24/students-of-color-are-missing-out-on-stem-opportunities-so-the-planet-is-missing-out-on-their-brilliance-heres-how-we-finally-achieve-equity-in-high-school-stem/?sh=3bd544645148
[6] Young, Jeffrey R. (July 27, 2021). We Know How to Diversity STEM Fields. The Challenge Is Spreading What Works. Retrieved from: https://www.edsurge.com/news/2021-07-27-we-know-how-to-diversify-stem-fields-the-challenge-is-spreading-what-works
[7] Rollins, Marlynn. (2020). Diversity in STEM: What is it, why does it matter, and how do we increase it? Retrieved from: https://caseagrant.ucsd.edu/blogs/diversity-in-stem-what-is-it-why-does-it-matter-and-how-do-we-increase-it
