NO) WOMEN IN STEM: AN ECONOMIC PERSPECTIVE TO THE SCIENTIFIC GLASS CEILING

Abstract

Women have steadily been rising to the top in the fields of humanities, arts, and education, but women in STEM are severely underrepresented. Children in schools are exposed to the idea that entering the fields of STEM, whether it be academic or professional, is easier for a man. This kind of forced linear thinking limits female students from pursuing their interests in STEM-related fields. A sore lack of role models in these fields adds to women’s mindsets that they cannot achieve what men do. Today, even though there are women who have managed to reach and break through the metaphorical ‘glass ceiling’, they do not get equal treatment. They are subjected to lower positions in the workplace, and lesser pay, among a host of other discriminatory actions. Societal norms in many countries state that women must sacrifice their academic or professional pursuits to focus on their families, which is one of the many possibilities why they fail to climb the ladder to the top. This paper attempts to explore the reasons behind the continued dearth of women’s participation in STEM-related fields.