Few Women in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM)? Why--and What to Do
Ruth Sweetser, Director of Corporate Relations at the Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago and former AAUW President at both the state and national levels on: "Few Women in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM)? Why--and What to do."
It's well known that women now make up almost half of the U.S. workforce. When it comes to jobs in the Science,Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields, however, women aren't fairing so well. According to a report by the U.S. Department of Commerce entitled Women in STEM: A Gender Gap to Innovation, "Although women fill close to half of all jobs in the U.S. economy, they hold less than 25% of STEM jobs." The report goes on to say that this percentage has remained steady over the past decade, "even as women's share of the college-educated workforce has increased."
Why is this true, and what can be done about it-or, should anything be done about it? This will be the focus of the Friday Forum lecture on September 16th, 12 noon at the University YMCA, 1001 S. Wright Street on the University of Illinois campus. Ruth Sweetser, Director of Corporate Relations at the Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago and former AAUW President at both the state and national levels, will be speaking about women in the STEM fields and discussing the latest research on this topic, including AAUW's 2010 in-depth report, "Why So Few? Women in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics." AAUW is a nationwide network of individuals, branches, and college/institution partners that advances equity for women and girls through advocacy, education, philanthropy, and research.
ALL LECTURES ARE FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC!
Y THAI LUNCH TICKETS: $6.00/3.00 student
