Who Run the World (Girls)

How gender inequality persists in science and technology, and what can be done to create a more equitable future

As a woman interested in STEM, I am hesitant. Women only make up 28-29% of the STEM workforce (1). The STEM workforce includes jobs such as healthcare practitioners, mechanical engineers, and data scientists. Inequality within these fields looks like gender stereotyping, limited mentorship, and exclusionary workplace cultures (2). Gender inequality in STEM persists due to stereotypes, workplace barriers, and a lack of representation. However, change is possible through education and policy reform. 

From an early age, girls are less encouraged to pursue science-related classes, as early as middle school (2). This persistence lasts in high school and even through college. As I stated before, it is reported that women only make up 28% of the STEM workforce (2). Percentages like this exist due to misconceptions that men are “better” at math and science. Studies show that male students believe they are better at math and science than women (4). Due to discouragement from STEM classes and misconceptions perpetuated by the male ego, fewer women choose to pursue the STEM field.

The women who do continue in the STEM field, despite hardship, face even more barriers in the workplace. It is reported that women earn, on average, $4,000 less in STEM jobs than the average male (5). In addition to payment, women are less likely to be nominated for promotions within their chosen field of study (6). Within STEM jobs, mentorship is essential, but the availability of female mentors is scarce. Studies report that females are perceived to be less deserving of mentorship than their male counterparts (7). Due to pay gap, promotion disparities, and lack of mentorship, women in STEM form a “leaky pipeline,” or women gradually leave STEM careers over time (8).

When this “leaky pipeline” forms, innovation is barred. When women are excluded, often innovation only begins to be made by men, which may hold implicit bias within their research (9). It is reported that when research is only made by one demographic, the research may be inaccurate or even detrimental (10). Studies can be done with less inclusion of women and minorities, making some research not applicable to all members of the population. 

We can fix the hole in the leaky pipe through education and policy reform. The first step is encouraging girls to study STEM from a young age. Promoting the idea that STEM is for everyone is crucial in combating stereotypes that say it is limited to males (11). Another step is mentorship, which is crucial for women in STEM. Mentorship can lead to more women prospering and advancing within their chosen field of study (12). Programs like Girls Who Code, WiSTEM, and Play Like a Girl are making strides to provide young girls with mentorship. Finally, since 1997, the Paycheck Fairness Act has been repeatedly introduced by Representative Rosa DeLauro in order to increase wage transparency and protect employees against retaliation (13). 

Gender inequality within the STEM field has persisted through barriers in education, all the way to within the workplace, causing the “leaky pipeline” phenomenon and limiting innovation. Inequality within STEM is an outdated idea, and it should not persist any longer. We, the world, must do our best to encourage young girls and women to make an impact and change the STEM field for the better.

                                                                Bibliography

1. Global STEM Workplace – Society of Women Engineers. (2025, July 18). Society of Women Engineers. https://swe.org/research/2025/global-stem-workplace/
2. Labuda, C. (n.d.). The STEM Gap. AAUW : Empowering Women since 1881. https://www.aauw.org/issues/education/stem/
3. Piloto, C. (2023, March 13). The Gender Gap in STEM: Still Gaping in 2023. MIT Professional Education. https://professionalprograms.mit.edu/blog/leadership/the-gender-gap-in-stem/
4. Luo, Y., & Chen, X. (2024). The Impact of Math-Gender Stereotypes on Students’ Academic Performance: Evidence from China. Journal of Intelligence, 12(8), 75–75. https://doi.org/10.3390/jintelligence12080075
5. Binns, C. (2021, February 19). What’s Behind the Pay Gap in STEM Jobs? Stanford Graduate School of Business. https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/insights/whats-behind-pay-gap-stem-jobs
6. Colvin, C. (2024, March 6). Women in STEM say gender wage gaps, promotion bias persist. HR Dive. https://www.hrdive.com/news/women-in-stem-career-progression/709503/
7. Charlesworth, T. E. S., & Banaji, M. R. (2019). Gender in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics: Issues, Causes, Solutions. Journal of Neuroscience, 39(37), 7228–7243. https://doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.0475-18.2019
8. Calhoun, L., Jayaram, S., & Madorsky, N. (2022, June 1). Leaky Pipelines or Broken Scaffolding? Supporting Women’s Leadership in STEM (SSIR). Ssir.org. https://ssir.org/articles/entry/leaky_pipelines_or_broken_scaffolding_supporting_womens_leadership_in_stem
9. Muse, M. (2026). LinkedIn. Linkedin.com. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/stem-gender-gap-why-were-still-losing-half-our-talent-makers-muse1-79j7c/
10. Rouan, J., Velazquez, G., Freischlag, J., & Kibbe, M. R. (2021). Publication bias is the consequence of a lack of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Journal of Vascular Surgery, 74(2), 111S117S. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvs.2021.03.049
11. Springside Chestnut Hill Academy. (2019). Sch.org. https://www.sch.org/blog/encouraging-girls-to-pursue-stem
12. Stofer, M. G. (2024). Women in STEM: The Importance of Mentorship and Community | ASM.org. ASM.org. https://asm.org/Articles/2024/October/Women-STEM-Importance-Mentorship-Community
13. Woods, S., Scata, K., Pohlmann, M., & Elongate, E. (2025, March 26). Pay Equity in STEM and the Paycheck Fairness Act. AWIS. https://awis.org/resource/pay-equity-in-stem-and-the-paycheck-fairness-act/

Images: 

1. Santos. (2025, April 29). Gender Gap in STEM (Statistics 2025). Brighterly Blog. https://brighterly.com/blog/gender-gap-in-stem/ 
2. Hamilton-Burns, L. (2023, October 5). WiSTEM: a society closing the gender gap. Epigram. https://epigram.org.uk/wistem-a-society-closing-the-gender-gap/