Breaking Barriers & More Jennifer Jirous STEM & Arts Program Director Colorado Community College System

Where are you?

…Gender diversity is associated with increased sales revenue, more customers, and greater relative profits. Racial diversity is associated with increased sales revenue, more customers, greater market share, and greater relative profits. Source: Cedric Hg Does Diversity Pay?: Race, Gender, and the Business Case for Diversity American Sociological Review April 2009

Inventions by Women 1. Kevlar (1964 ) Stephanie Kwolek 2. Nystatin (1950) Rachel Fuller Brown and Elizabeth Lee Hazen 3. Windshield wiper (1903) Mary Anderson 4. Dishwasher (1886) Josephine Cochrane 5. Square bottom paper bag (1871) Margaret Knight 6. Colored flare system (1857) Martha Coston 7. Compiler and COBOL Language (1950’s) Grace Hopper 8. Liquid paper (1958) Bessie Nesmith 9. Chocolate Chip Cookie (1930) Ruth Graves Wakefield 10. Circular saw (1812) Tabitha Babbit

Patents by Women First patent by Mary Dixon Klies for process that weaved straw with silk and thread in women earned patents by ,984 patents were granted to women in percent of all patents granted in 2010 Up from14 percent in 2000 And 9 percent in 1990

Women in STEM: A Gender Gap to Innovation U.S Department of Commerce Economics and Statistics Administration Issue Brief August 2011

What is a STEM job? Professional and technical support occupations in the fields of computer science and mathematics, engineering, and life and physical sciences Source: U.S. Department of Commerce: Economics and Statistics Administration, ESA Issue Brief #04-11, August 2011.

National Statistics (2009) 7.4 million workers in STEM jobs or 5.3% of the population 91% of STEM jobs will require post-secondary education (2018) Occupational area 47% Computer and mathematical science 32% Engineering and surveying 12% Physical sciences 8% STEM management jobs Source: U.S. Department of Commerce: Economics and Statistics Administration, ESA Issue Brief #04-11, August 2011.

Projections by STEM Industry % Computing 16% Traditional Engineering 7% Physical Sciences 4% Life Sciences 2% Mathematics

Projections in Computing 27% Software Engineering 21% Computer Networking 10%Systems Analysis 7% Computer Support 2% Database Administration 1% CS/IS Research

Colorado Statistics (2011) 232,000 STEM-related jobs by 2018 $74,958 Average salary ( ) Occupational area 115,000 Computer/Mathematical Science 58,000 Engineers and technicians 30,000 Life and physical sciences 17,000 Architects and technicians 12,000 Social Sciences Source: Colorado’s K-12 STEM Ed Report Card 2011, STEMConnector, 222.stemconnector.org

Women in STEM jobs Women comprise 48% of workforce but only 24% of STEM workers Earn 33% more than women in non-STEM jobs making the wage gap smaller in STEM jobs than in non-STEM jobs Those with STEM degree less likely than males to work in STEM occupation; more likely to work in education or healthcare Source: U.S. Department of Commerce: Economics and Statistics Administration, ESA Issue Brief #04-11, August 2011.

Women Are Often Paid Less than Men in the Same Job Are Paid

Men and women tend to choose different majors in college and to work in different occupations after college. Women tend to work fewer hours, even when they work full time. Women are more likely to leave the workforce or to work part time when they have young children. Choices can account for some of the differences in salaries, but they aren’t the whole story. What about Choices?

Despite the positive trends in high school, the transition from high school to college is a critical time for young women in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics).

Bachelor's Degrees Conferred, by Gender,1971–72 to 2006–07 Source: Snyder, T.D., Dillow, S.A., and Hoffman, C.M. (2009). Digest of Education Statistics 2008 (NCES ). National Center for Education Statistics, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education. Washington, DC. Women have earned the majority of bachelor’s degrees since 1982.

Women and Men Tend to Major in Different Fields

Women’s representation among STEM bachelor’s degree holders has improved over time but varies by field. Source: National Science Foundation, Division of Science Resources Statistics, 2008, Science and engineering degrees: 1966–2006 (Detailed Statistical Tables) (NSF ) (Arlington, VA), Table 11, Author's analysis of Tables 34, 35, 38, & 39. Bachelor’s Degrees Earned by Women in Selected Fields, 1966–2006

40 percent of undergraduates attend community college.

More than 4 million women attend community college.

Community college students are racially diverse.

Students of all ages attend community college.

Community College Enrollment: Women and men study different fields.

Women and men study different fields.

How can community colleges increase the number of women in nontraditional fields, including STEM? Actively recruit women for nontraditional fields and STEM fields. Ensure that academic and career advising do not inadvertently reinforce stereotypes or promote discrimination against women. Expose women in nontraditional fields to role models and mentors. Engage students in reviewing transfer requirements early and often in their college career.

 Secondary Secondary  94 Programs  6821 Students  25% Females  68% White  Post-secondary  41 Programs  1434 Students  13% Females  64% White Colorado CTE: Engineering & CAD

Colorado CTE: Information Technology  Secondary  40 Programs  1350 Students  37% Females  63% White  Post-secondary  29 Programs  1260 Students  33% Females  60% White

Colorado CTE: Health Sciences Secondary 33 programs 1,598 students 75% female 49% White Post-Secondary 154 programs 10,845 students 73% female 64% White

Colorado CTE: Agriculture/Energy Secondary 99 programs 5220 Students 39% Female 79% White Post-secondary 22 programs 938 students 39% Female 70% White

AAUW drew on the large body of academic research on gender in science in a number of fields and identified eight research findings that help to explain the underrepresentation of women and girls in STEM.

Eight research findings in three areas: How social and environmental factors shape womens’ achievements and interests in math and science The climate of college and university science and engineering departments Continuing influence of bias Why So Few? presents evidence that social and environmental factors contribute to the underrepresentation of women and girls in STEM.

Women's achievements and interests in math and science are shaped by the environment around them.

Negative stereotypes about girls’ and women’s abilities in math and science adversely affect their performance in these fields. Expose women to successful female role models in math and science. Teach students about stereotype threat. Source: Spencer, S. J., Steele, C. M., & Quinn, D. M., 1999, "Stereotype threat and women's math performance," Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 35(1), p. 13. Performance on a Challenging Math Test, by Stereotype Threat Condition and Gender

Spatial skills are not innate and can be improved with training. One of the largest and most persistent gender gaps in cognitive skills is found in the area of mental rotation, where males consistently outperform females. Building as well as drawing can help develop spatial skills.

Women are “harder on themselves” in terms of assessing their abilities in math and science fields. Does this rectangle have more black or more white?

Set clear performance standards Help women recognize their career-relevant skills

Mindsets Survey Dweck Video

In math and science, a growth mindset benefits women. Fixed MindsetGrowth Mindset Intelligence is static.Intelligence can be developed. Leads to a desire to look smart and therefore a tendency to Leads to a desire to learn and therefore a tendency to avoid challengesembrace challenges give up easily due to obstacles persist despite obstacles see effort as fruitlesssee effort as path to mastery ignore useful feedback learn from criticism be threatened by others’ success be inspired by others’ success Teach individuals that intellectual skills can be acquired. Praise students for effort. Highlight the struggle. Gifted and talented programs should send the message that they value growth and learning.

Bias, often unconscious, limits women’s progress in scientific and engineering fields.

Even people who consciously reject negative stereotypes about women in science can still hold those beliefs at an unconscious level. Take a test to learn about your unconscious bias at Take steps to address your biases. Most people associate science and math fields with “male” and humanities and arts fields with “female.”

Women in “male” jobs are viewed as less competent than their male peers. When women are clearly competent, they are often considered less “likable.” Raise awareness about bias against women in STEM fields. Create clear criteria for success. Women in nontraditional fields can find themselves in a “double bind.”

Why So Few? Women in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics To download the report: To contact the researchers:

Women in STEM Grant Funded by National Alliance for Partnerships in Equity (NAPE) On September 26, 2011, the White House and the National Science Foundation recognized NAPE for its STEM Equity Pipeline initiative, which is “adding momentum to a nationwide shift that promises to strengthen the US economy and job security even as it strengthens families across the country.”White House and the National Science Foundation recognized NAPE

GOALS of the Stem Equity Pipeline (SEP) Building the capacity of the formal education community Connecting the outcomes to existing accountability systems Broadening the commitment to gender equity and diversity in STEM Education.

Final Thought… “Challenges make you discover things about yourself that you never really knew. They're what make the instrument stretch - what make you go beyond the norm.”

Personal Action Plan 1.Based on today’s workshop, I am going to (list specific actions)… 2.Specific benefits I feel will come from my actions are… 3.Specific obstacles that may hinder my actions are… 4.One important bit of information I am going to share with my colleagues is…

Sources Women in STEM: A Gender Gap to Innovation (2011) Women in STEM: A Gender Gap to Innovation U.S. Department of Commerce, Economics and Statistics Administration, ESA Issue Brief #03-11 Why So Few? Women in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (2010) Why So Few? Women in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics American Association of University Women Colorado’s K-12 STEM Ed Report Card (2011) Colorado’s K-12 STEM Ed Report Card STEMConnector Graduating to a Pay Gap: The Earnings of Women and Men One Year after College Graduation (2013) Graduating to a Pay Gap: The Earnings of Women and Men One Year after College Graduation American Association of University Women Women in Community Colleges: Access to Success (2013) Women in Community Colleges: Access to Success American Association of University Women

Thank You! Jennifer Jirous Colorado Community College System