Did you know that women make up 52% of the European population, yet they are heavily underrepresented in the fields of Sciences, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Mathematics? (European Commission, 2023) This phenomenon is commonly referred to as the “gender gap” which affects women and girls at every stage of their journey toward a STEAM career.
“It is true that we have an issue of lack of female representation in STEM. Women only represent 33% of researchers, and only 20% of top-level academics are women.” Dr Agueda Gras-Velazquez (European Schoolnet)
Despite progress in many areas, a significant gap persists, especially in STEAM education, where girls are often held back by biases, societal norms and expectations (UNESCO, 2019). These factors can shape perceptions, influence decisions, and impact the opportunities available to girls and young women in STEAM. The main issues are:
- Gender stereotypes: subjects related to sciences, maths, and engineering have long been associated with masculine traits, thus creating the assumption that boys perform better in STEAM.
- Biases in teaching methods: educational resources and teaching methods can unintentionally reflect and perpetuate gender stereotypes. These can cause teachers to question girls’ abilities in STEAM subjects unconsciously.
- Self-perception: gender stereotypes also affect girls’ perception of their own abilities in maths and sciences, which they tend to underestimate due to the integration of the stereotypes.
- Social pressure: gendered expectations may pressure girls to avoiding STEAM fields in order not to feel different from their peers.
- Lack of role models and representation: women being underrepresented in STEAM careers means that girls have fewer role models to inspire them. The media also lack portrays of inspiring women, which contributes to the limited visibility.
Bridging this gap is not just a question of equity, it is crucial for fostering innovation and addressing the complex challenges of our time. In fact, the European Union has been actively working on promoting gender equality in STEAM education. The Gender Equality Strategy 2020-2025 sets out the Commission’s commitment to strengthen women’s and girl’s participation in STEAM studies. That is why the Erasmus+ Programme funded various projects to promote gender-inclusive STEAM education, such as STEAM Tales.
The STEAM Tales project recognises the pivotal role that educators and parents can play in encouraging girls to explore STEAM subjects and challenge stereotypes. Therefore, we want to equip them with powerful and valuable tools, among which 12 inspirational role model stories, 24 corresponding lesson plans with hands-on experiments and a pedagogical guide on how to empower girls through STEAM.
As we work together to break down the barriers and share the successes of women in STEAM, let’s all help create a world where every girl can follow her dreams in sciences, technology, engineering, arts, and math, making a future where new ideas and everyone’s contributions are valued. So, stay tuned for more inspiring stories and ways you can contribute to this important change.
References:
Gender equality in research and innovation. (2023, May 5). Research and Innovation. European Commission. https://research-and-innovation.ec.europa.eu/strategy/strategy-2020-2024/democracy-and-rights/gender-equality-research-and-innovation_en
Bridging the gender gap in STEM education. (n.d.). European Schoolnet. http://www.eun.org/news/detail?articleId=7958726
Girls’ and women’s education in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). (2023, October 19). UNESCO. https://www.unesco.org/en/gender-equality/education/stem