WAMC: Her-Story, Now: Bridging the Science Gender Gap in the U.S.--The Women's College Coalition (2009-07-13)

Women in Science on the Air

Her-Story, Now: Bridging the Science Gender Gap in the U.S.--The Women's College Coalition

(2009-07-13)

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ALBANY, NY (WAMC) - With technology jobs continuing to grow faster than any other sector in the market, America needs to close the science gender gap to maintain our share in the burgeoning global market. The National Science Foundation reports that less than two out of every ten American scientists are women, even though women comprise 51% of the population. This gap between men and women in science, technology, math, and engineering may simply come down to men edging women out of those fields. Whether it's a cultural holdover or a lack of effort by educators to inspire women, the gap is glaring. If you doubt that men are a factor in the domination of technical careers, take a look at what happens when women are in an environment where that competition is stripped away from the equation. Women's colleges across the country statistically graduate more women into high-tech, high-paying discipline fields. Many of the top liberal arts colleges for women are actively seeking to redress the imbalance. They've formed the Women's College Coalition to network universities across the U.S. to enhance women's educational opportunities. Many of these colleges embrace empowerment philosophies that allow women to explore disciplines without restriction or being choked by stereotypes. Pat Bradley reports. © Copyright 2012, WAMC