Abstract
Women make up half the world’s population, but are vastly underrepresented in the STEM sector. This needs to be addressed if we want to build inclusive societies and achieve the equality goals detailed in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Lack of female representation in STEM is a complex issue with many contributing factors, including stereotypes which suggest that women are not as interested in STEM, not as competent at STEM, or not as committed to STEM work. Girls are discouraged from entering STEM by the lack of role models in the field, while women face discrimination and difficult work environments, fostered by gendered social norms. In this chapter we consider the gendered dimensions of STEM, showing how failure to mainstream gender issues across the field can increase digital divides and exacerbate current gender inequities. Closing gendered inequities in STEM requires a multi-faceted approach including raising awareness of the issues, obstacles, and opportunities; encouraging diversity in the tech sector; supporting girls and women to access STEM education; and advocating for tailored approaches to support STEM women. The digital and green transition create opportunities to create a better world, and women need to fully participate and bring their unique skills, perspectives, and creativity to that transformation.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Aberilla, O., Salic-Hairulla, M., Orbita, R.R., and Torres, M.A.J. 2021. University Students’ Acceptance of Evolution: Basis for STEM-based Instructional Design. International Journal of STEM Education for Sustainability, 1 (1):33–44e-ISSN. 2798–5091. https://doi.org/10.53889/ijses.v1i1.3.
Badagliacco, J.M. 1990. Gender and race differences in computing attitudes and experience. Social Science Computer Review 8 (1): 42–63. https://psycnet.apa.org/record/1990-26888-001.
Ben-David, J. 1971. The Scientist’s Role in Society: A Comparative Study. Prentice-Hall, 1971–207.
Bimber, B. 2000. Measuring the gender gap on the internet. Social Science Quarterly 81 (3): 868–876. https://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/document?repid=rep1&type=pdf&doi=2a9cc6656dac376cf4a413bf29f4549cdd80b868.
Chauke, T.A. 2022. Gender differences in determinants of students’ interest in STEM education. Social Sciences 11: 534. https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci11110534.
Dasgupta, P. 2019. Time and the Generations: Population Ethics for a Diminishing Planet New York, NY: Columbia University Press.
Deák, V., Nemecskó, I., Végső, T., and Bódi-Schubert, A. 2020. A koronavírus járvány hatása a magyarországi pénzforgalomra 2020-ban (Impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Hungary’s payment turnover in 2020). Special article (szakmai cikk), Magyar Nemzeti Bank. https://www.mnb.hu/letoltes/a-koronavirus-jarvany-hatasa-a-magyarorszagipenzforgalomra-2020-ban.pdf. Downloaded: 17 March 2022.
Dholakia, R.R., N. Dholakia, and B. Pedersen. 1994. Putting a byte in the gender gap. American Demographics 16 (12): 20.
Faulkner, W. 2001. The technology question in feminism: A view from feminist technology studies. Women’s Studies International Forum 24 (1): 79–95. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0277539500001667.
Hammond, A., and Rubiano-Matulevich, E. 2020. Myths and misperceptions: Reframing the narrative around women and girls in STEM’. https://blogs.worldbank.org/education/myths-and-misperceptions-reframing-narrative-around-women-and-girls-stem.
Hanisch, S., and Eirdosh, D. 2020. Educational potential of teaching evolution as an interdisciplinary science. Evo Edu Outreach 13 (25). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12052-020-00138-4.
Herring, C. 2009. Does Diversity Pay?: Race, Gender, and the Business Case for Diversity. American Sociological Review 74 (2): 208–224. https://doi.org/10.1177/000312240907400203.
Hong, C., and Ma, W.W.K. 2020. Introduction: Education 4.0: Applied Degree Education and the Future of Work. In: Hong, C., & Ma, W. (Eds.), Applied Degree Education and the Future of Work. Lecture Notes in Educational Technology. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-3142-2_1.
Katila, S. 2022. How ‘tech-savvy’ women are changing masculine dominance in the video game industry. https://wearetechwomen.com/how-tech-savvy-women-are-changing-masculine-dominance-in-the-video-game-industry/.
Mahlow, C., and Hediger, A. 2019. Digital transformation in Higher Education— buzzword or opportunity? eLearn Magazine 2019 (5): 13. https://doi.org/10.1145/3329488/3331171.
Muchiri, M., and Ayoko, O.B. 2013. Linking demographic diversity to organisational outcomes: The moderating role of transformational leadership. Leadership & Organization Development Journal 34 (5). https://doi.org/10.1108/LODJ-11-0086.
Nair, S., and H. Paulose. 2014. Emergence of green business models: The case of algae biofuel for aviation. Energy Policy 65: 175–184. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/259513304_Emergence_of_green_business_models_The_case_of_algae_biofuel_for_aviation.
Norton, A., Shroff, S., and Edwards, N. 2020. Digital transformations, an entreprise architechture perspective. PublishNation Limited. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/341297551_Digital_Transformation.
NTIA (National Telecommunications and Information Administration). 1999. Falling through the net: Defining the digital divide. A report on the Telecommunications and Information technology gap in America. Revised. U.S. Government Printing Office, Superintendent of Documents. http://www.ntia.doc.gov/ntiahome/fttn99/contents.html.
Orongan, M.J.Q., Nabua, E.B., Barquilla, M.B., Buan A.T., Inutan, E.N., and Yuenyong, C. 2019. Cognitive attributes, physical and psychosocial aspects of learning environment: Its relationship to learners’ chemistry achievement. Journal of Physics: Conference Series, Volume 1340, International Annual Meeting on STEM Education (I AM STEM). https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/1340/1/012068.
Reagans, R.E., and Zuckerman, E.W. 2001. Networks, Diversity, and Productivity: The Social Capital of Corporate R&D Teams. Organization Science 12 (4): 502–517. https://doi.org/10.1287/orsc.12.4.502.10637.
Sloan, M.M. 2017. Gender differences in commitment to state employment: The role of coworker relationships. Public Personnel Management 46 (2): 170–187. https://doi.org/10.1177/0091026017702612.
World Bank. 2021. Infographic: The Equality Equation: Advancing the Participation of Women and Girls in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/infographic/2021/04/19/the-equality-equation-advancing-the-participation-of-women-and-girls-in-science-technology-engineering-and-mathematics-s.
UN Women. 2022. Gender snapshot report 2022. https://www.unwomen.org/sites/default/files/2022-09/Progress-on-the-sustainable-development-goals-the-gender-snapshot-2022-en_0.pdf.
**e, Y. Fang, M. and Shauman, K. 2015. STEM Education. Annual Review of Sociology 41: 331–357. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-soc-071312-145659.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2023 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Kaddour, A., Gmach, I., Elghoul, S. (2023). Considering Gender Lens in the STEM Field. In: Drucza, K., Kaddour, A., Ganguly, S., Sarea, A.M. (eds) Centering Gender in the Era of Digital and Green Transition. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-38211-6_9
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-38211-6_9
Published:
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-031-38210-9
Online ISBN: 978-3-031-38211-6
eBook Packages: Social SciencesSocial Sciences (R0)