STEM fields, which include science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, are commonly thought of as male-dominated. Research suggests, however, that women are making their mark and breaking the glass ceiling in those industries.
According to data from the United States Census, in 2019, representation of women in STEM occupations accounted for 64 percent. However, only a quarter are working with computers, 15 percent in engineering, and 3 percent in social science.
The Pew Research Center documented that 53 percent of STEM college degrees awarded were for women in 2018. The article also states that women earned less than one-quarter of bachelor’s degrees in engineering (22 percent) and computer science (19 percent).
Among the STEM industry, only three percent of women are CEOs.
Among the issues that prevent women from participating in STEM-related jobs are gender stereotypes, male-dominated cultures, fewer role models, and math anxiety.
“There’s still a lot of issues that persist with women in STEM,” said Dr. Jenna Carpenter, Dean of the School of Engineering at Campbell University. “A lot of it has to do with stereotypes in our culture saying girls can’t do math or girls are not interested or something along those lines.”
Prior to coming to Campbell, Carpenter was a professor and associate dean for undergraduate studies and director of the Office for Women in Science and Engineering at Louisiana Tech University’s College of Engineering and Science.
Carpenter received her bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Louisiana Tech and her master’s and Phd degrees in mathematics from Louisiana State University. Since graduating, she has been a part of the Alumni Federation Fellow at Louisiana State, where her research focuses on integrated STEM curricula and improving the number and success of women in engineering.
“STEM can offer a huge array of career opportunities, good pay, and a lot of respect but it does come with its challenges,” Carpenter added. 

Women’s representation in STEM varies widely: Women are heavily overrepresented among health-related jobs and underrepresented in other occupational clusters.
Among the 70 detailed STEM occupations the Census Bureau reports on, women earned more money than men in one occupation: computer network architects which eight percent of women are accounted for.
The median earning amount of women in STEM occupations as provided by Pew Research Center, is $66,200. The median earning amount for men in STEM is $90,000. Representation in STEM for women has increased dramatically since 1970. Despite that increase, however, the numbers have leveled off in recent years.
For example, according to BestColleges.com, an organization that seeks to connect students with resources that fit them, the number of women working in computer fields has dropped by seven percent from 1990 to 2016.
“Unfortunately the number of girls that we attract to engineering has changed much in the last 20 to 30 years, despite all the work that has been done and that is due to a lot of the subconscious bias people have,” explained Carpenter.
As the decline of women in STEM continues, there are individuals and institutes that are trying to attract more women to the field.
“There is a lot of research out there on how to do a better job of not just teaching engineering or STEM related classes, but to attract a more diverse group of students alongside women,” Carpenter added. 

Carpenter’s hands-on, project-based approach for students at Campbell University in the school of engineering focuses on design and utilizes unique class labs to seamlessly integrate lecture and lab. 

Even with the challenges and low levels of women in STEM fields, there are still many statistics that celebrate the success of women in this industry.
“I think that the future for women in STEM is really bright,” said Elaina Ball, CEO and general manager of the Public Works Commission of Fayetteville. “I think a lot of the lack of STEM for women contributes to self-doubt. I would advise women either starting out in their first job or even considering STEM that it’s not easy and that they need to find ways to preserve.”
Before joining PWC, Ball served as senior vice president in operations and administration for El Paso Electric. Ball is currently a Board of Directors member of the Association of Women in Energy, and obtained her bachelor of science degree in chemical engineering from the University of Texas at Austin.
“When I reflect back on my life, the single most important decision I made was to go into engineering. It’s not just about being an all around engineer, you have to do what you learned but in a STEM related field, you also learn critical thinking,” Ball added.
When looking at the trajectory of the STEM industry there is a transition taking place. Younger generations are slowly becoming the powerhouse of the economy.
“When you talk about building prosperity for yourself and your family and you work in STEM, you have to push through because it creates opportunities for the entirety of your life,” Ball concluded.
Despite the reservations, self-doubt, and challenges that women in STEM still face today, it is clear to see that through hard work and the ability to push through hardships, the future for women in the STEM industry is bright.