Adopting an international perspective, this book draws on current research from the United States, Australia and Europe examining women�s participation, advancement and leadership in STEM fields. The book explores the nature of STEM careers across indu

Written by a respected science educator and advocate for women and girls in STEM fields, this one-stop resource provides a rich overview of efforts to provide women and girls with greater access to educational and career opportunities in traditionally male-dominated STEM fields. Since the passage of Title IX, the numbers of American women working in STEM fields have increased, particularly in the social and biological sciences. Nonetheless, women continue to be underrepresented in STEM disciplines, accounting for less than a third of the current STEM workforce. When the intersection of sociocultural factors such as race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic background are examined alongside gender, some demographic groups of women continue to lag in terms of representation in all STEM fields. The reasons cited for this continued state of affairs remain hotly debated, even as efforts intensify to break down longstanding gender barriers and bring women and girls into the worlds of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Women and Girls in STEM Fields provides wide-ranging, complementary coverage of every aspect of the issue, from the historical barriers that confronted generations of American women and girls interested in pursuing careers in various STEM disciplines to the laws and movements that dismantle some of those obstacles. Features include smartly organized chapters on major trends, issues, debates, and historical moments; carefully selected profiles of the key organizations and individuals that have shaped discussions of this subject in Washington, D.C. and across the USA; a suite of original essays from educators, scholars, and women writing about their firsthand experiences in today's STEM world.

Continuing to challenge American colleges and universities is the underrepresentation of women faculty in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields, particularly Latinas and other underrepresented women of color. Advancing Women in Academic STEM Fields through Dual Career Policies and Practices, comprised of scholarly essays, case studies, and interviews, argues that to address equity issues related to women faculty, academic institutions should consider work-life perspectives, including dual careers, when designing faculty recruitment, retention, and advancement strategies. By connecting the topic of dual career hiring to gender and ethnicity, the volume extends the current research on work-life integration by sharing best practices and approaches that have worked among institutions of higher education while incorporating issues related to intersectionality.

Women are typically not well represented in STEM fields. These same women experience difficulties in advocacy and leadership, as well as hiring and promotion. Women of color, regardless of discipline, face this narrative daily and often throughout their entire careers. Women's Influence on Inclusion, Equity, and Diversity in STEM Fields seeks to critically examine the strategies that women across class and cultural groups use and the struggles they face in order to become successful in professional fields that include business, politics, science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. While highlighting topics that include higher education, workplace perceptions, and information literacy, this publication is ideal for public administrators, human resources professionals, sociologists, academicians, researchers, and students interested in gender studies, public administration, the biological sciences, psychology, computer science, and the STEM fields.

This book presents scholarly reflections on women's entrepreneurial propensity and on women's entrepreneurship in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields. Contributing to a country's innovativeness and competitiveness, women entrepreneurs also promote healthy social and economic growth and act as mentors and role models for younger women. However, the low involvement of women in STEM, which begins at education, affects the share of women entrepreneurs in these fields. The authors address these issues and highlight the output of research studies by bringing together both global and country-specific evidence. Researchers and policymakers interested in advancing women's entrepreneurship, especially in STEM, will particularly benefit from this book.

This open access book addresses challenges related to women in STEM in higher education, presenting research, experiences, studies, and good practices associated with the engagement, access, and retention of women in the STEM disciplines. It also discusses strategies implemented by universities and policymakers to reduce the existing gender gap in these areas. The chapters provide an overview of implementations in different regions of the world and provide numerous examples that can be transferred to other higher education institutions.

The book examines gender roles, gender inequity, and the impacts of both unintentional and purposeful efforts to undermine women's equal treatment in the United States, documenting what women have faced in the past and still face in America today. Although women's rights is a worldwide issue, this book examines how in the United States, an alleged "war on women" is still occurring. Are there only forces opposing women's equality that aim to subvert women's advancement, or are defensive strategies employed as well? What has been the offensive response from women and supportive groups of women? Is there actually substantial evidence of a "war on women," or is the idea primarily political rhetoric? Are the actions and behaviors contributing to gender inequality intentional or unintentional? In this unique collection, experts from multiple disciplines analyze the U.S. women's rights movement, developments, progress, and obstacles. The chapters extend the analogy of this fight for equal rights with a war to document how women's struggle for gender equality is simultaneously a health issue, a political issue, and a wider issue of social justice—a formidable challenge in which women's lives are sometimes literally at stake and at risk. The book's contributors and editors take the unique angle of eyeing the fight for equality on the same level as a war, analyzing this "war" on historical/social/cultural levels (the "battlefield"); identifying policy, political, and legal issues ("major battles"); and explaining how to best fight on personal or individual levels ("skirmishes"). The coverage includes current federal and state initiatives that have fueled concern that women's rights are under continued assault. All of the nearly 162 million women in the United States—and their family members, regardless of sex—are affected by the issues addressed in this book.

Despite a higher percentage of women entering various STEM fields, issues of discrimination and stereotyping continue to exist. These difficulties create a potential hostile environment and a noticeable gap in opportunities, advancements, and compensation increases in comparison to their male counterparts. Critical Research on Sexism and Racism in STEM Fields investigates the bias, stereotyping, and repression experienced by women within STEM-based career fields. Emphasizing the struggle felt by women within politics, education systems, business environments, STEM careers, as well as issues with advocacy and leadership, this publication benefits professionals, social activists, researchers, academics, managers, and practitioners interested in the institutionalized discrimination and prejudice women encounter in various fields.

Vol. II: Short-Term Programs features eight OST STEM programs for females from across the United States that run one to three days in length, in most cases, a single day. In this book, the chapter authors describe their programs, the effectiveness of those programs, and practical implications of their program evaluation data. This book series is the first of its kind to offer researchers, educators, school administrators, policy makers, and others detailed insight into the promise and practice of out-of-school-time STEM programs for females. Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines play a pivotal role in societal progress and economic prosperity, in addition to enhancing individual lives. However, U.S. students lack strong STEM performance in an international context. The pool of STEM-proficient workers is thus insufficient to fuel the nation, with females being one group that is noticeably absent. Out-of-school-time (OST) programs, which are on the rise, are increasingly suggested as a way to support and encourage underrepresented groups in STEM. Participants in OST programs have shown improved achievement, interest, and confidence in STEM, as well as greater awareness of STEM role models and careers.