Increasing girls’ interest, representation and success in math and science can help combat America’s international ranking in math and science as well as address the current and anticipated shortage of science and technology professionals. Math and science curricula and careers are often referred to by the acronym STEM (which stands for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics). STEM careers extend beyond those named in the acronym – examples include cyber security professionals, biofuel production managers and video game designers. As a mother of two children, I am invested in ensuring that both my daughter and son have an interest in all academic subjects and a wide variety of careers. To better understand the under-representation of girls in STEM fields, I interviewed Dr. Diana Burley, a mother of two who holds a doctorate in Organization Science and Information Technology from Carnegie Mellon University and is often called upon to consult in the area of STEM and under-represented groups.

Q: Dr. Burley, where did your interest in STEM begin?
A: As a young girl I enjoyed the challenge of math and science. In high school I wanted to be an engineer and went to a summer program at Carnegie Mellon University designed to prepare students from under-represented groups for a college engineering program. I decided not to pursue engineering but got hooked on computers. My college major was economics, but I took several computer programming courses and ultimately went to CMU for graduate school because of the computer science emphasis at the university.

Q: Why do you think girls are under-represented in STEM courses and careers?
A: Many reasons:
• Few formal role models in the form of STEM teachers and club leaders (e.g., the robotics club) exist, and female students often gravitate to the courses and clubs that are led by female teachers. Girls need to be exposed to female STEM role models early in their educational careers.
• STEM curriculum is often not linked to realworld and real-life experiences. This is getting better, but teachers need to show—through realworld examples—the value of subjects like math and physics.
• There’s a social stigma that STEM careers are isolating and male-centric.
• STEM careers, like all careers, require years of preparation. This preparation must start early. If girls are not in the pipeline early, it is difficult for them to be sufficiently prepared to move forward without significant, additional preparation.

Q: How can we change the trend?
A: This is not an easy question to answer. Recent students show that girls today are no more likely to go into STEM careers than were their predecessors from 10 or 20 years ago. In other words, this is not a new trend. Although some fields are doing quite well in attracting girls (e.g., biology), others are not (e.g., computer engineering). Studies also show that despite the interest in STEM girls show in middle school and high school, when they get to college, interests and majors shift to non-STEM fields. It must also be stated that interest in STEM is a problem for boys and girls, majority and minority.

Q: How can schools turn the tide?
A: Schools can influence student interest in STEM careers by:
• Linking STEM curriculum to real-world examples and to non-STEM courses. The 21st century workplace demands that employees are able to combine technical and non-technical skills. This relationship is critical to build early in the educational career.
• Including hands-on activities that make the content come to life.
• Encouraging high school nurturing through professional development opportunities for teachers to become STEM proficient and through community partnerships that bring female STEM role models into the schools for sustained engagement (e.g., club leaders).
• Addressing social cues that stigmatize STEM careers. As America’s economy continues to grow in sectors dominated by science and technology, it is important to position our children to succeed in tomorrow’s workplace. What can we as mothers do to encourage our children’s interest in STEM careers?
• Study up – learn about the breadth of STEM career fields so you can help broaden your child’s career considerations.
• Motivate – encourage your children’s interest in math and science courses and STEM careers.
• Sign up – locate and enroll your child in handson science and technology activities that can further develop your child’s interest in STEM careers.
• Connect – help your child make connections between STEM concepts and the real world.
• Link up – identify STEM role models at school, in your workplace and in the community who can provide real life examples of scientists, statisticians, and computer programmers.

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SUSAN SWAYZE is a quantitative and qualitative researcher and an Assistant Professor at The George Washington University. She holds a Ph.D. from UCLA and an MBA from Duke University and is often called upon for her research and evaluation expertise. email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .