Science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) programs have traditionally been male-dominant fields, but with recent news and a closer look at the University’s latest enrollment numbers, the current generation is changing that.
In Miami, Florida this month, three teenaged women developed straws that can detect common date-rape drugs in drinks that are odorless and colorless, like gamma hydroxybutyric (GHB), Ketamine and Rohypnol (roofies).
Their development was part of the Miami Herald’s contest for high school students to develop an idea for a business plan, and the three women were selected as the winners. The contest reward included the launch of a crowdfunding campaign.
Because they were the sole females in a 30-student entrepreneurship class, the women overcame gender barriers to create a useful product, as stated in USA Today.
According to the University’s fall 2016 fact sheet, the number of full-time instructional faculty in all areas was 1,279. Out of that number, 807 were men and 472 were women.
In terms of students, there were more females than males enrolled in the University, but in STEM majors, the opposite was true. A total of 6,175 students were enrolled in the 23 undergraduate degree programs considered to be a part of STEM in the spring 2017 semester.
Out of that, 3,903 of STEM students are male and 2,272 of them are female which amounts to 52.8 percent male and 47.2 percent female. Nothing to sneeze at in terms of equality, but the faculty and staff of the engineering department are far more divisive.
In the 11 disciplines of the department, there are 205 faculty and staff listed on their webpage, but only 22 of them are women. That means the department is only 10.7 percent female. Only 10.7 percent of the faculty are examples of what the women in their classes can achieve.
The discrepancy of men and women involved in the STEM fields is still prevalent, but it looks to be closing at the University. The clear generational separation offers hope and encouragement for new college enrollees to branch out and pursue their love for STEM subjects.
With more women in STEM fields we may see more varieties of inventions. Take the aforementioned straws for example — the fact that they were created by young women is a testament to the fact that women have potential to make meaningful contributions.
One of the team members, Susana Capello, told USA Today she believes people should pursue anything they want to achieve, regardless of gender. As evidenced by the University’s latest enrollment numbers, the tide is turning.
Myia Hambrick is a 21-year-old mass communication senior from Temple, Georgia.
