Debra Mercora of NJ works as a Superintendent of schools. In the following article, Debra Mercora discusses ways to encourage more females to get involved with STEM subjects, in the highly male-saturated field.
Boys have long outnumbered girls when it comes to choosing to study STEM subjects. And, one of the best ways for anyone to get involved in something is by making it fun and exciting!
Debra Mercora of NJ says to start, incorporate games and experiments to show young girls how cool STEM can be. It’s also important that girls have someone to look up to in the field, so try introducing them to other females within STEM-related industries to show them that there are people just like them involved in these fantastic career fields.
STEM Explained
Debra Mercora Superintendent explains that STEM is short for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. STEM encompasses any education or any job that use any of these four subjects, such as jobs in software engineering, architecture, and the like.
STEM jobs are in increasing in demand globally, as well as having salaries that are on average two-thirds higher than those in other industries. However, one thing that is lacking in the industry is diversity. With the introduction and encouragement at the school-age level of girls into the program, eventually, more women will enter the field, breaking barriers within the heavily male-influenced sector.
The Current Barriers to Girls in STEM
Currently, Debra Mercora says that one of the main barriers to girls taking on STEM-related subjects is the fact that there simply aren’t enough women in these specific fields.
In the UK, to reach the same number of boys studying STEM subjects, around 150,000 girls every year would need to take up qualifications in them. Women in general make up on 28% of the STEM workforce in the USA.
As girls don’t see themselves as visibly represented in STEM, it can be hard to envision a future career in it. Not only that, but STEM subjects are often seen as traditionally masculine, which can offput girls from selecting them in favor of subjects that they see as more suited to a more female influence.
Ways to Encourage Girls in STEM
• Make it Fun
Debra Mercora says that one of the best ways to make girls interested in STEM is to make it fun! Oftentimes it can seem boring or unappealing, so look at ways in which to cater for specific interests or show the more interesting side of the program.
Some of the best ideas include practical experiments so girls can see things in action or looking at aspects of STEM that link to real world applications they may enjoy, such as smartphone apps, fashion, or music, etc.
• Try New Things
Often, Debra Mercora of NJ says that like a lot of people, girls in particular can have increased anxiety around subjects like math and science. This can sometimes be exacerbated parents, whose own fear of the subject can brush off on their daughters.
By setting an example and always giving STEM related tasks a try, whether it is helping with a piece of homework, or perhaps taking on a small project together, adults can show that STEM is not as inaccessible or as scary as they first thought explains Debra Mercora Superintendent.
• Find Role Models
Debra Mercora Superintendent says that it’s important for girls to be able to see how they can be successful in a STEM education and career, and so providing them with information about women who are role models in the field can help them see that STEM is for girls, too!
Organizations such as Stemettes aim to provide information, role models, and events to help young people, especially females, to be able to ignite their passion for STEM, to show them that anything is possible.
Depending upon what field they are interested in (and there are many), there are often famous females from history that can help to inspire. For example, Debra Mercora of NJ explains that girls may want to research Ada Lovelace if interested in computers or programming, or those looking to the stars could find inspiration from female astronauts.
• Encourage Participation
Often in school, Debra Mercora Superintendent NJ says that girls can tend to take a back seat in subjects such as math and science. Teachers should make sure that everyone is taking as active a role as possible in group work and projects, to make sure that everyone in the class knows that they can contribute fully without judgement.
By ingraining this attitude into their students, educators can start to challenge the stigma that STEM is reserved just for boys, making girls feel more confident in picking science, math, technology and engineering subjects for further study.
• When in Doubt, Ask!
Debra Mercora Superintendent NJ says that one of the best people who can signpost exactly what they need to be able to excel in STEM is the young person themselves! Make sure to spend time to listen to any questions or concerns your daughter or student may have, so that you can work together to address them, dispel any fears, and set them up for success.
