Women in STEM

[Meow Mix]

I've thought about organizing a group for women in STEM (locally, I mean; on campus), but I have a speech disorder that would make this inordinately difficult for me unless I just did something online.

I'm disheartened by how few women there are as the numbers at the beginning of classes get higher.

I don't even know what I'm even saying here. Ever just felt powerless to change something that seems like it could be resolved if the world were just a better place?

 

[SomeRandom]

Well I mean you could use social media to scout out your STEM ladies.
I think it’s a cool thing to organise something like that. And who knows who you may find.
And if it makes you feel any better I happen to know a quite a few women in STEM fields

 

[Meow Mix]

Well I mean you could use social media to scout out your STEM ladies.
I think it’s a cool thing to organise something like that. And who knows who you may find.
And if it makes you feel any better I happen to know a quite a few women in STEM fields

Though I don't really do social media these days, we do often use Slack. Maybe you're onto something.

But, it's still just a vague idea. I don't even know what I could do. Maybe the best I could do is just foster an environment of encouragement, support, and (importantly) ways to meet important people. I've been fortunate to have been introduced to certain folks to help with my work. I don't know. Maybe I'll still look into it.

 

[SomeRandom]

Though I don't really do social media these days, we do often use Slack. Maybe you're onto something.

But, it's still just a vague idea. I don't even know what I could do. Maybe the best I could do is just foster an environment of encouragement, support, and (importantly) ways to meet important people. I've been fortunate to have been introduced to certain folks to help with my work. I don't know. Maybe I'll still look into it.

Hey man look into it. We women need to stick together
And if you can offer a voice of empowerment, then that’s a job well done in my book, right?

 

[Debater Slayer]

I've thought about organizing a group for women in STEM (locally, I mean; on campus), but I have a speech disorder that would make this inordinately difficult for me unless I just did something online.

I'm disheartened by how few women there are as the numbers at the beginning of classes get higher.

I don't even know what I'm even saying here. Ever just felt powerless to change something that seems like it could be resolved if the world were just a better place?

Yep, that feeling is pretty relatable, especially when you see a lot of issues that you think shouldn't even be a matter of debate (such as LGBT rights and gender equality) being so hotly contested in legal and social contexts by many people either out of being misinformed/indoctrinated or outright malicious.

That said, with how ubiquitous internet usage and reliance on it have become, especially during the pandemic, I definitely think you could have an even more solid chance of organizing something. The idea is wonderful, and I wish you the best of luck if you decide to pursue it further!

 

[Polymath257]

I'm in mathematics and it seems that the vast majority of women math majors go into math education. Locally, the M/F ratio of PhDs seems to be around 3-4. I'd have to go back and look to get a more accurate number.

When I started teaching 40 years ago, it was commonplace to have women being told 'girls aren't good at math, so don't worry about it'. In a class of 40 calc I students, maybe one was a woman.

Those numbers have improved a lot. But, at the upper levels, there is still a huge imbalance. I'm not sure how to fix that.

 

[lewisnotmiller]

I've thought about organizing a group for women in STEM (locally, I mean; on campus), but I have a speech disorder that would make this inordinately difficult for me unless I just did something online.

I'm disheartened by how few women there are as the numbers at the beginning of classes get higher.

I don't even know what I'm even saying here. Ever just felt powerless to change something that seems like it could be resolved if the world were just a better place?

Your speech disorder makes organising difficult. For others, it might be social anxiety that makes accessing support difficult. Or remote learning. Or English as a second language.

I think it's a great idea to try and organise some support, and just work within the bounds of what you can do. Perhaps an online support group, or a What's App group (or Slack, as you mentioned earlier). You don't need to come up with something perfect to positively impact on some others lives.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

Though I don't really do social media these days, we do often use Slack. Maybe you're onto something.

But, it's still just a vague idea. I don't even know what I could do. Maybe the best I could do is just foster an environment of encouragement, support, and (importantly) ways to meet important people. I've been fortunate to have been introduced to certain folks to help with my work. I don't know. Maybe I'll still look into it.

A starting point might be to see if there's already anything out there that you could piggyback on.

For instance, my professional association has programs to encourage and support women in engineering; they also have student chapters. Maybe you can find something similar in your field and stick the ideas together: a student chapter with a focus on supporting women in your field.

Or I wonder if there's something like Build a Dream where you are. They're a Canadian organization focused on getting girls and young women into STEM fields and skilled trades.

The groups that could help you will depend a bit on what your specific goal is, but I'm sure that help is out there.

Edit: I think that partnering with a larger organization works especially well for a student group, since it allows for a degree of continuity as students graduate and leave.

 

[Meow Mix]

So, an update on this: I spoke to my professor today about research, and he actually mentioned that the person I'm picking up my project from left the project to be an activist for this exact reason, and either started or joined an existing group. I got her contact info to get caught up on the beginnings of the project so we'll definitely be talking about it. What odd serendipity!

 

[Meow Mix]

I meet with her this week ^.^

Excitement is twofold: starting my thesis, and I'd love to ask her about her activism.

 

[Meow Mix]

Serendipitous update: she's actually in one of my classes this semester!