It’s astonishing that people are always amazed when they find out that my major is civil engineering. I’m usually met with a naïve remark about how uncommon it is for women to go into careers in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) or with a comment that I must be a genius to attempt such a prestigious goal. I’m not a genius -- I just like science. Is it really that difficult to believe?
Luckily, Lehigh has a generous amount of female engineering students and is fortunate enough to have our own chapter of Society of Women Engineers (SWE) for support. Before college, I had been one of the only girls in science and math programs and in advanced science and math classes. I grew tired of having my achievements sensationalized, as opposed to being held to the same standard of excellence as were many of my male peers. Why weren’t girls being pushed to strive for the highest in these subjects, too?
Persisting stereotypes about men being more capable than women in STEM careers can discourage young girls from trying to reach their full potential in these subjects. This is unfortunate because researchers are finding that these stereotypes are lacking evidentiary substance, yet have been lurking around for years causing some girls to doubt their abilities and their potential.
Hopefully this idea can be swayed by a national trend of local programs designed to empower young women in science and math. There are several of these programs in the Lehigh Valley area. Each spring and summer, Lehigh University’s College of Engineering and Applied Science and its SWE Chapter work together to put on the CHOICES camp for girls in middle school who are interested in studying engineering. Students work on engineering projects by identifying a large problem and developing a specific solution that will improve it as a whole. Bethlehem’s YWCA has a similar afterschool club called TechGYRLS for girls in elementary and middle school to explore and develop their knowledge of computer programs, robots, and other technologies. Programs like these are designed to stimulate curiosity in technical subjects in an all-female environment. Teaching girls to be confident in themselves can be one of the best lessons they will learn.
As women, we can help change this stereotype by first changing ourselves – by taking pride in our work and by having confidence in our abilities, we can set the standard for what people can expect from female engineers, and therefore, what they can expect from women in the future.
Luckily, Lehigh has a generous amount of female engineering students and is fortunate enough to have our own chapter of Society of Women Engineers (SWE) for support. Before college, I had been one of the only girls in science and math programs and in advanced science and math classes. I grew tired of having my achievements sensationalized, as opposed to being held to the same standard of excellence as were many of my male peers. Why weren’t girls being pushed to strive for the highest in these subjects, too?
Persisting stereotypes about men being more capable than women in STEM careers can discourage young girls from trying to reach their full potential in these subjects. This is unfortunate because researchers are finding that these stereotypes are lacking evidentiary substance, yet have been lurking around for years causing some girls to doubt their abilities and their potential.
Hopefully this idea can be swayed by a national trend of local programs designed to empower young women in science and math. There are several of these programs in the Lehigh Valley area. Each spring and summer, Lehigh University’s College of Engineering and Applied Science and its SWE Chapter work together to put on the CHOICES camp for girls in middle school who are interested in studying engineering. Students work on engineering projects by identifying a large problem and developing a specific solution that will improve it as a whole. Bethlehem’s YWCA has a similar afterschool club called TechGYRLS for girls in elementary and middle school to explore and develop their knowledge of computer programs, robots, and other technologies. Programs like these are designed to stimulate curiosity in technical subjects in an all-female environment. Teaching girls to be confident in themselves can be one of the best lessons they will learn.
As women, we can help change this stereotype by first changing ourselves – by taking pride in our work and by having confidence in our abilities, we can set the standard for what people can expect from female engineers, and therefore, what they can expect from women in the future.
I always thought the opposite was true: girls were better than guys at science and math. Heck they just seemed to be better at school. Is that still a stereotype, albeit a positive one?
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