from an early age I was introduced the love of learning by my parents this
love of learning by my parents this
love of learning by my parents this learning was centered around literature
learning was centered around literature
learning was centered around literature and to an extent history and art our
and to an extent history and art our
and to an extent history and art our favorites included classics such as The
favorites included classics such as The
favorites included classics such as The Hobbit The Secret Garden and The
Hobbit The Secret Garden and The
Hobbit The Secret Garden and The Magician’s Nephew
Magician’s Nephew
Magician’s Nephew but what I understood of the big wide
but what I understood of the big wide
but what I understood of the big wide world science and engineering came from
world science and engineering came from
world science and engineering came from my grandmother it was at her house that
my grandmother it was at her house that
my grandmother it was at her house that I pored over those how it works books
I pored over those how it works books
I pored over those how it works books and built water filters and played with
and built water filters and played with
and built water filters and played with the circuit kit every birthday I would
the circuit kit every birthday I would
the circuit kit every birthday I would add some new science related book to my
add some new science related book to my
add some new science related book to my collection about everything from female
collection about everything from female
collection about everything from female archaeologists to microscopes I learned
archaeologists to microscopes I learned
archaeologists to microscopes I learned about these cars chemistry and ecology
about these cars chemistry and ecology
about these cars chemistry and ecology and it was through this exposure to the
and it was through this exposure to the
and it was through this exposure to the many facets of science and engineering
many facets of science and engineering
many facets of science and engineering but I fell in love with something called
but I fell in love with something called
but I fell in love with something called step in acronym that stands for science
step in acronym that stands for science
step in acronym that stands for science technology engineering math stamina is
technology engineering math stamina is
technology engineering math stamina is the magical industry responsible for a
the magical industry responsible for a
the magical industry responsible for a rapidly advancing world space
rapidly advancing world space
rapidly advancing world space exploration cancer research cutting edge
exploration cancer research cutting edge
exploration cancer research cutting edge technologies stem workers are making
technologies stem workers are making
technologies stem workers are making what was once thought preposterous
what was once thought preposterous
what was once thought preposterous commonplace the stem workforce is
commonplace the stem workforce is
commonplace the stem workforce is crucial to America’s innovative capacity
crucial to America’s innovative capacity
crucial to America’s innovative capacity and global competitiveness but there’s a
and global competitiveness but there’s a
and global competitiveness but there’s a problem the United States is falling
problem the United States is falling
problem the United States is falling behind
behind
behind yuuna the World Economic Forum ranks the
yuuna the World Economic Forum ranks the
yuuna the World Economic Forum ranks the United States as 48th in quality of math
United States as 48th in quality of math
United States as 48th in quality of math and science education out of 133
and science education out of 133
and science education out of 133 developing and developed nations these
developing and developed nations these
developing and developed nations these discrepancies translate to a stem worker
discrepancies translate to a stem worker
discrepancies translate to a stem worker shortage the United States may be short
shortage the United States may be short
shortage the United States may be short as many as 3 million highly-skilled STEM
as many as 3 million highly-skilled STEM
as many as 3 million highly-skilled STEM jobs by 2018 workers by 2018 but the
jobs by 2018 workers by 2018 but the
jobs by 2018 workers by 2018 but the shortage doesn’t stop there
shortage doesn’t stop there
shortage doesn’t stop there of all STEM jobs only 24 percent are
of all STEM jobs only 24 percent are
of all STEM jobs only 24 percent are held by women even though women hold
held by women even though women hold
held by women even though women hold around 50% of jobs in the overall
around 50% of jobs in the overall
around 50% of jobs in the overall workforce women hold a low share of stem
workforce women hold a low share of stem
workforce women hold a low share of stem undergraduate degrees particularly in
undergraduate degrees particularly in
undergraduate degrees particularly in engineering and when and women with a
engineering and when and women with a
engineering and when and women with a stem degree are less likely than their
stem degree are less likely than their
stem degree are less likely than their male counterparts
male counterparts
male counterparts to work and stem occupation this
to work and stem occupation this
to work and stem occupation this under-representation of women can even
under-representation of women can even
under-representation of women can even be seen as early as high school where
be seen as early as high school where
be seen as early as high school where some where male students are more likely
some where male students are more likely
some where male students are more likely than females to take stem AP exams such
than females to take stem AP exams such
than females to take stem AP exams such as calculus bc physics v and physics ii
as calculus bc physics v and physics ii
as calculus bc physics v and physics ii millstones are also more likely to take
millstones are also more likely to take
millstones are also more likely to take advanced computer science and
advanced computer science and
advanced computer science and engineering courses there are many
engineering courses there are many
engineering courses there are many theories as to why women are
theories as to why women are
theories as to why women are underrepresented in these fields but
underrepresented in these fields but
underrepresented in these fields but many have decided that women simply
many have decided that women simply
many have decided that women simply don’t like math and science even at this
don’t like math and science even at this
don’t like math and science even at this high school level teachers and students
high school level teachers and students
high school level teachers and students sometimes stereotyped girls interested
sometimes stereotyped girls interested
sometimes stereotyped girls interested in advanced physics and math Allen
in advanced physics and math Allen
in advanced physics and math Allen Pollock a professor of creative writing
Pollock a professor of creative writing
Pollock a professor of creative writing at the University of Michigan wrote the
at the University of Michigan wrote the
at the University of Michigan wrote the only woman in the room why science is
only woman in the room why science is
only woman in the room why science is still a boys club she spoke to a Yale
still a boys club she spoke to a Yale
still a boys club she spoke to a Yale face physics undergrad who was one of
face physics undergrad who was one of
face physics undergrad who was one of three females in her AP physics class in
three females in her AP physics class in
three females in her AP physics class in high school and the only female after
high school and the only female after
high school and the only female after the other two dropped out another
the other two dropped out another
the other two dropped out another undergrad was the only female in her AP
undergrad was the only female in her AP
undergrad was the only female in her AP physics class from its start her
physics class from its start her
physics class from its start her classmates teased her mercilessly you’re
classmates teased her mercilessly you’re
classmates teased her mercilessly you’re a girl girls can’t do physics she
a girl girls can’t do physics she
a girl girls can’t do physics she expected the teacher to put a stop to it
expected the teacher to put a stop to it
expected the teacher to put a stop to it but he didn’t as Paula herself a physics
but he didn’t as Paula herself a physics
but he didn’t as Paula herself a physics major who didn’t go into academia even
major who didn’t go into academia even
major who didn’t go into academia even though she graduated at the top of her
though she graduated at the top of her
though she graduated at the top of her class writes
class writes
class writes I didn’t continue in physics because not
I didn’t continue in physics because not
I didn’t continue in physics because not a single professor not even the advisor
a single professor not even the advisor
a single professor not even the advisor who supervised my senior thesis
who supervised my senior thesis
who supervised my senior thesis encouraged me to go to graduate school
encouraged me to go to graduate school
encouraged me to go to graduate school when told that men do better on math
when told that men do better on math
when told that men do better on math tests than women women tend to score
tests than women women tend to score
tests than women women tend to score works when not told this the two genders
works when not told this the two genders
works when not told this the two genders scored equally well
scored equally well
scored equally well there isn’t an inherent ability
there isn’t an inherent ability
there isn’t an inherent ability difference between the sexes in fact the
difference between the sexes in fact the
difference between the sexes in fact the stereotypical reasoning behind the stem
stereotypical reasoning behind the stem
stereotypical reasoning behind the stem worker shortage is in fact one of the
worker shortage is in fact one of the
worker shortage is in fact one of the very things keeping women from entering
very things keeping women from entering
very things keeping women from entering and staying in STEM fields another
and staying in STEM fields another
and staying in STEM fields another widely accepted explanation is that
widely accepted explanation is that
widely accepted explanation is that women drop out to have and care for
women drop out to have and care for
women drop out to have and care for children and while this is certainly
children and while this is certainly
children and while this is certainly true to an extent it doesn’t explain why
true to an extent it doesn’t explain why
true to an extent it doesn’t explain why the male to female ratio is so much
the male to female ratio is so much
the male to female ratio is so much higher in STEM fields than in the
higher in STEM fields than in the
higher in STEM fields than in the broader workforce it really comes down
broader workforce it really comes down
broader workforce it really comes down to the fact that women are marginalized
to the fact that women are marginalized
to the fact that women are marginalized and discriminated against in MIT
and discriminated against in MIT
and discriminated against in MIT committee found that even if women
committee found that even if women
committee found that even if women receive the faculty position they are
receive the faculty position they are
receive the faculty position they are often paid less than their male
often paid less than their male
often paid less than their male colleagues have access to less lab and
colleagues have access to less lab and
colleagues have access to less lab and office space when fewer warts and have
office space when fewer warts and have
office space when fewer warts and have access to fewer resources
access to fewer resources
access to fewer resources female software developers earn eighty
female software developers earn eighty
female software developers earn eighty percent of what men do
percent of what men do
percent of what men do these statistics hold true even in
these statistics hold true even in
these statistics hold true even in larger studies including one from the
larger studies including one from the
larger studies including one from the American Institute of physicists which
American Institute of physicists which
American Institute of physicists which looked at 100 looked at 15,000
looked at 100 looked at 15,000
looked at 100 looked at 15,000 physicists from 130 countries this
physicists from 130 countries this
physicists from 130 countries this marginalization is likely a result of
marginalization is likely a result of
marginalization is likely a result of bias females in STEM fields face
bias females in STEM fields face
bias females in STEM fields face constant prejudice against them not just
constant prejudice against them not just
constant prejudice against them not just from their male colleagues but from
from their male colleagues but from
from their male colleagues but from other females for example when presented
other females for example when presented
other females for example when presented with identical lab manager resumes from
with identical lab manager resumes from
with identical lab manager resumes from both a John and a Jennifer both male and
both a John and a Jennifer both male and
both a John and a Jennifer both male and female professors tend to depict the
female professors tend to depict the
female professors tend to depict the John as the better candidate and offer
John as the better candidate and offer
John as the better candidate and offer him more money for the position this
him more money for the position this
him more money for the position this inequality also crops up in male driven
inequality also crops up in male driven
inequality also crops up in male driven Silicon Valley where female
Silicon Valley where female
Silicon Valley where female entrepreneurs find it hard to find
entrepreneurs find it hard to find
entrepreneurs find it hard to find funding because they aren’t perceived as
funding because they aren’t perceived as
funding because they aren’t perceived as leaders but as mothers as a result
leaders but as mothers as a result
leaders but as mothers as a result females only start about 8% of venture
females only start about 8% of venture
females only start about 8% of venture backed tech startups but there are
backed tech startups but there are
backed tech startups but there are things that can be done Karen Purcell a
things that can be done Karen Purcell a
things that can be done Karen Purcell a an entrepreneur engineer and author has
an entrepreneur engineer and author has
an entrepreneur engineer and author has prevented has presented a variety of
prevented has presented a variety of
prevented has presented a variety of ways to encourage women in STEM
ways to encourage women in STEM
ways to encourage women in STEM first exposure it’s important that both
first exposure it’s important that both
first exposure it’s important that both girls and boys are exposed to stem and
girls and boys are exposed to stem and
girls and boys are exposed to stem and positive ways from a young age so that
positive ways from a young age so that
positive ways from a young age so that upon reaching high school those who are
upon reaching high school those who are
upon reaching high school those who are interested interested can pursue these
interested interested can pursue these
interested interested can pursue these fields without a negative connotation
fields without a negative connotation
fields without a negative connotation second special programs there are more
second special programs there are more
second special programs there are more and more female centered stem programs
and more female centered stem programs
and more female centered stem programs every year but they need more support on
every year but they need more support on
every year but they need more support on both the national and local level these
both the national and local level these
both the national and local level these programs are so important because
programs are so important because
programs are so important because without understanding the opportunities
without understanding the opportunities
without understanding the opportunities available to students of math and
available to students of math and
available to students of math and science young women believe they have
science young women believe they have
science young women believe they have made a mistake
made a mistake
made a mistake would face with the challenges of
would face with the challenges of
would face with the challenges of completing a stem major so they leave
completing a stem major so they leave
completing a stem major so they leave third mentorship beyond being a career
third mentorship beyond being a career
third mentorship beyond being a career advisor a role model and an advocate
advisor a role model and an advocate
advisor a role model and an advocate female mentors and STEM fields can help
female mentors and STEM fields can help
female mentors and STEM fields can help to assure girls going into stem that
to assure girls going into stem that
to assure girls going into stem that they are not alone in the end females
they are not alone in the end females
they are not alone in the end females aren’t going into STEM fields because
aren’t going into STEM fields because
aren’t going into STEM fields because they feel because society is telling
they feel because society is telling
they feel because society is telling them not to and this seems like a big
them not to and this seems like a big
them not to and this seems like a big and scary problem that we as a people
and scary problem that we as a people
and scary problem that we as a people are powerless to solve but it isn’t
are powerless to solve but it isn’t
are powerless to solve but it isn’t changing the makeup of the stem
changing the makeup of the stem
changing the makeup of the stem workforce will take time but in the wise
workforce will take time but in the wise
workforce will take time but in the wise words of Marie Curie life is hard for
words of Marie Curie life is hard for
words of Marie Curie life is hard for everyone but what if that we must have
everyone but what if that we must have
everyone but what if that we must have perseverance and both above all
perseverance and both above all
perseverance and both above all confidence in ourselves we must believe
confidence in ourselves we must believe
confidence in ourselves we must believe that we are gifted for something and
that we are gifted for something and
that we are gifted for something and that this thing must be attained thank
that this thing must be attained thank
that this thing must be attained thank you
you
you [Applause]
”
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