Boosting gender diversity in male-dominated STEM disciplines

At one level, the issues with gender equality in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) are well known. At every educational and career transition point, from secondary school to professorial level, the data shows that diversity drops off. We need to pay close attention to what’s decreasing diversity at those crucial points.

Why not set targets or introduce positive discrimination? Targets encourage short cuts, and positive discrimination (in addition to being illegal) results in tokenism­ – good for neither the recipient nor for how their colleagues view them. What is more crucial is recognising that increasing diversity takes time and can only be achieved by providing equality of opportunity to all, regardless of sex or gender (or other protected characteristics); challenging and rejecting false narratives that might block selection or promotion; and fostering an inclusive environment.

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• Practical LGBTQ+ allyship within STEMM

More than 20 years ago, the leaders of our psychological sciences department made a conscious decision to address gender disparity in the department. It started with a deliberate effort to appeal to female applicants for lecturer positions through carefully worded advertisements and diverse selection panels with gender-blind shortlisting, and support for all staff, regardless of gender, in developing bids for promotion. 

In the past few years, the department has achieved gender parity, including at professorial level. But it’s undoubtably easier to achieve in psychology and biology, given their popularity with female undergraduates, than computer science. 

At our institution, STEM disciplines beyond psychology and biology are male-dominated. Even in psychology, some areas are female-dominated, such as developmental psychology, while others, like cognitive neuroscience, are male-dominated. Any apparent parity obscures a more complex picture. Women appear to feel more comfortable in pursuing a career in, say, developmental psychology than computer science. This is supported by anecdotal evidence, suggesting that many women feel a career in computing is not for them.

How to work towards gender parity

To effect change in less diverse STEM disciplines, we need to actively demonstrate the inclusivity of the culture to the outside world. This is critical to ensuring both a diverse undergraduate body and a diverse pool of applications for any posts. A good place to start is with focus groups, to learn what blocks there might be at a local level to non-white women.

Visible role models also play an essential role here, by demonstrating to aspiring STEMers that there is a viable career in STEM. Without role models, the numbers of applicants won’t rise. In my own faculty, we are aware that in highly male-dominated disciplines, students can complete their degree without being taught by a female member of staff, building the perception that an academic career in the discipline is only for men. Ensuring women, and their successes, are visible – for example, through newsletters, posters on notice boards or contributions to recruitment and outreach activities – is critical.

Mentors are also crucial. They provide advice and support in navigating the sector. They can also identify issues that might hold the mentee back or even result in them leaving the sector. This relationship is at its most effective when mentees are involved in the selection of their mentor and when that mentor has had training.

In the case of our psychological sciences department, we supplemented this with an early career researcher support group, led by a senior member of the department. This proved very effective in supporting all group members, regardless of gender, to grant submission and through the promotion process.

Our challenge, and the challenge for the sector, is to roll out interventions such as these in other sciences, both to address gender equality and to address other diversity-related disparities in STEM.