Women in STEM: Home
Why Women in STEM?
Women express interest in STEM fields at the same rate as men, but are far less likely to complete advanced degrees, gain employment, or achieve equal pay in these fields. Read more about women in STEM at the resources below.
- Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities in Science and EngineeringProvides statistical information about the participation of these three groups in science and engineering education and employment.
- The STEM GapThis report from the American Association of University Women (AAUW) asks: why so few?
A Note on Language
Throughout this guide, there are references to "women" and "female scientists." These words and terms are used because they are those that appear in existing scholarship and metadata. However, they are also exclusionary terms that fail to highlight how many of these issues also impact people who are not women and who are invisible in current and historical study, including transmen, non-binary people, and other members of the LGBTQIA community.
Additionally, this guide acknowledges that scientists may hold intersectional identities that impact the way they live and work. 'Intersectionality' is a term coined by law professor and scholar Kimberlé Crenshaw. The term addresses how, in Crenshaw's words, "many of our social justice problems like racism and sexism are often overlapping, creating multiple levels of social injustice." View the video below to hear Crenshaw's TEDTalk.
Items in this guide that may speak to intersectional identities and experiences are marked with an asterisk (*).
Finding Women and Underrepresented Peoples in STEM
So you're looking for a woman in STEM--maybe to use as a source, teaching material, or just inspiration. Where and how might you find them?
- GageA resource for journalists, educators, policy makers and others seeking the expertise of women and gender minorities STEMM professionals. Operated by the organization 500 Women Scientists.
- Women Scientists in ActionBrowse the profiles to learn more about the talented women scientists, their contributions to research, what they learned along the way, and advice they have to other women in science.
- 500 Queer ScientistsA visibility campaign for LGBTQ+ people and their allies working in STEM and STEM-supporting jobs — a group that collectively represents a powerful force of scientific progress and discovery.
- Mathematicians of the African DiasporaMATHAD is dedicated to promoting and highlighting the contributions of members of the African diaspora to mathematics, especially contributions to current mathematical research.
- Project BiodiversifyAn online space that promotes the humanization, diversification, and inclusivity of biology classrooms.
- Diversify EEBLooking to include scientists who are underrepresented in STEM in your classroom? Searching for a speaker in Ecology? Diversify EEB maintains a list of scientists you may find interesting.
To find academic sources ABOUT women and underrepresented people in STEM, try some of the following databases and search strategies.Note that not all underrepresented groups have been well-studied, and some potentially exclusionary search terms may yield more results (i.e. "women in stem" vs. "minorities in STEM")
- Web of Science This link opens in a new windowWeb of Science is a multidisciplinary resource that allows you to search multiple databases at once, including: Web of Science (Core Collection), Current Contents Connect, BIOSIS Previews, MEDLINE, and Journal Citation Reports. Find journal articles, books, conference proceedings, reports, and tables of contents.
- GenderWatch This link opens in a new windowProvides authoritative historical and current perspectives on the evolution of gender roles as they affect both men and women.
- ERIC This link opens in a new windowThe ERIC (Educational Resources Information Center) database is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education. ERIC provides access to journal articles, conferences, meetings, government documents, theses, dissertations, reports, audiovisual media, bibliographies, directories, and books.
Search terms:
Women in Science/Minorities in Science
Women in Engineering/Minorities in Engineering
Women in Mathematics/Minorities in Mathematics
Women Scientists
Women in STEM
STEM pathways
Student Diversity
Faculty Diversity
Throughout this guide, we use common search terms that can help you locate relevant sources. These terms (used in headers, titles and descriptions of sources) may imply different meanings to different people.When presenting your research, you get to decide what terms to use and how to define them.
Being aware of the context of common terms can help you frame your topic in a way that feels accurate and respectful to you.
Women in STEM on Socials
- Last Updated: Sep 1, 2023 12:23 PM
- URL: https://libguides.gvsu.edu/STEMwomen
