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The Inclusion of Women in STEM: A Joint Workshop of the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, and the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences: Proceedings of a Workshop–in Brief (2021)

Chapter: The Inclusion of Women in STEM: A Joint Workshop of the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, and the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences: Proceedings of a Workshopin Brief

Suggested Citation:"The Inclusion of Women in STEM: A Joint Workshop of the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, and the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences: Proceedings of a Workshopin Brief." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2021. The Inclusion of Women in STEM: A Joint Workshop of the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, and the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences: Proceedings of a Workshop–in Brief. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/26190.
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Proceedings of a Workshop


IN BRIEF

June 2021

THE INCLUSION OF WOMEN IN STEM: A JOINT WORKSHOP OF THE U.S. NATIONAL ACADEMIES OF SCIENCES, ENGINEERING, AND MEDICINE, AND THE KUWAIT FOUNDATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCES

Proceedings of a Workshop—in Brief

INTRODUCTION

Women play important roles in science, engineering, technology, and mathematics (STEM) in the United States and in Arab countries, but they face challenges related to education and employment. The second in a series convened by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (the National Academies) and the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences (KFAS), this workshop shared promising practices to increase the inclusion of women in STEM. While the first workshop in 2019 highlighted challenges and barriers, effective recruitment strategies and curricula structure,1 the second workshop focused on gender stereotypes and family roles, retention and career development, and the role of mentorship. In both meetings, the workshop planning committee, comprised of women from the U.S. and Kuwait, identified themes relevant to American and Arab professionals from a wide range of disciplines and career stages, and they organized presentations and discussions around these themes. Because of COVID-19 travel restrictions and health precautions, the workshop took place virtually October 5-7, 2020.

The planning committee co-chairs welcomed participants. Hayfaa Almudhaf (Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research) stressed the need to understand the different sets of challenges and opportunities related to education and employment of women in STEM in the United States and the Arab region. She noted the current circumstances of the global pandemic, in which women face a tremendous burden as frontline workers, caregivers, and in other roles. She also acknowledged the loss of Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al Sabah, former emir of Kuwait, who passed away in September 2020. Among his many contributions, he was a strong supporter of women, including appointing Kuwait’s first female minister and judge, extending the right to vote to women, and promoting women in STEM in his role as chairman of KFAS. Co-chair Sapna Cheryan (University of Washington) introduced the three themes of the second workshop, which emerged as areas for further examination after the first workshop: (1) gender stereotypes and gendered family roles; (2) retention and career development of women in STEM; and (3) mentoring and organizational change.

In his opening remarks, Adnan Shihab-Eldin (KFAS) mourned the loss of Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and expressed Kuwait’s continued interest in the participation of women in science under the leadership of Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah. Anne Peterson (National Academies, Policy and Global Affairs Committee) suggested that the workshop served to honor the late Sheikh and expressed hope for continued collaboration with KFAS and other Arab institutions. She directed participants to other relevant National Academies efforts, in particular a recent consensus study on underrepresentation of women in STEM.2

Recognizing the interrelationship among the workshop themes, each session was organized with three speakers from Arab countries followed by three from the United States. Discussion periods followed each set of presentations

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1 For the proceedings from the first workshop, held October 28-29, 2019, see NASEM (2020). The Inclusion of Women in STEM in Kuwait and the United States: Proceedings of a Workshop. https://www.nap.edu/read/25820/chapter/1.

2 NASEM. 2020. Promising practices for addressing the underrepresentation of women in science, engineering and medicine: Opening doors. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. https://www.nap.edu/catalog/25585/promising-practices-for-addressing-the-underrepresentation-of-women-in-science-engineering-and-medicine.


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Suggested Citation:"The Inclusion of Women in STEM: A Joint Workshop of the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, and the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences: Proceedings of a Workshopin Brief." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2021. The Inclusion of Women in STEM: A Joint Workshop of the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, and the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences: Proceedings of a Workshop–in Brief. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/26190.
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highlighting promising practices and challenges in both regions. A keynote address by renowned physician Selwa Al-Hazzaa (Alfaisal University) concluded the second day of the workshop and a final discussion period summarized lessons learned at the end of the third day.

GENDER STEREOTYPES AND GENDERED FAMILY ROLES

According to session co-chairs Hala AlEssa (Kuwait University) and Maria Charles (University of California, Santa Barbara), the committee designed this session to explore how assumptions and stereotypes affect women in STEM fields. U.S. research has shown how stereotypes about the natures of women and men are considered in conflict with the requirements of STEM work, Dr. Charles said. These beliefs can lead to discrimination against women and shape women’s and men’s own expectations. Dr. AlEssa drew from literature that depicted men as protectors while extolling women as nurturers. How, she asked, are these stereotypes and roles reflected today across cultures?

Norms and Barriers to Women's Access to Employment

To begin to answer Dr. AlEssa’s question, Rana Hendy (American University in Cairo) presented an overview of culture, gender norms, and barriers to women’s access to paid employment in the Arab world. Fertility has declined and women’s educational attainment and aspirations have risen. Dr. Hendy referred to the “MENA [Middle East and North African] paradox”: that is, women’s significant health and education improvements have not translated into economic advances. As root causes, she pointed to marriage and related responsibilities; biased gender division of labor within households; contraction of job opportunities in the public sector (especially in oil-poor countries); and impediments to women working in the private sector. Other factors include lack of safe transportation to, and harassment in the workplace; discriminatory labor laws and practices; limited access to capital; and limited access to information and networks. Based on her research, she identified marriage as one the major causes of MENA women’s persistent low participation in the labor market, and shared data about participation in the labor force at various points in a woman’s life cycle (Figure 1). Women remain the main household member responsible for housework and childcare, whether they are in the labor force or not. Combining paid and unpaid work, the data shows that women work longer hours than men all over the world, and especially in the Arab countries.

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FIGURE 1 Employment and the Transition to Marriage, Women Married between 1992 and 2012 (percentage).
SOURCE: Hendy, R. 2015. Women’s Participation in the Egyptian Labor Market: 1998-2012. In Egyptian Labor Market in an Era of Revolution. Oxford University Press. DOI:10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198737254.003.0008.
Suggested Citation:"The Inclusion of Women in STEM: A Joint Workshop of the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, and the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences: Proceedings of a Workshopin Brief." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2021. The Inclusion of Women in STEM: A Joint Workshop of the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, and the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences: Proceedings of a Workshop–in Brief. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/26190.
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The policy question is how to keep women in the labor market after marriage, she said. Areas to explore include focusing the political debate on this issue; enacting policies and legislation; and establishing more flexible work arrangements. Increased job opportunities in the private sector, more accessible infrastructure, changed attitudes about gender roles, access to finances, a supportive legal regulatory framework, and reform of social policies are also important.

Demystifying STEM Families and Their Daughters

Research by Fawzeyah Al-Awadhi (Kuwait University, KU) has focused on analyzing support systems to understand Kuwaiti women’s identities as STEM students and professionals. As a backdrop, women made up 79 percent of KU’s 2018-2019 graduating class, and 25.6 percent of them were STEM majors. Women consistently score higher than men on exams. Yet, as Dr. Hendy also pointed out, women have lower participation in the Kuwaiti labor force, at about 25 percent. One reason is the societal expectation that men should be the family breadwinner, Dr. Al-Awadhi said.

The research question she posed was, “What are the factors that help Kuwaiti women major or choose a career in STEM?” Using narrative inquiry, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 14 participants. They ranged from age 27 to 50 and were master’s students, corporate-sector engineers, or KU faculty. Dr. Al-Awadhi shared excerpts as interviewees discussed their identities. For example, one woman said she was viewed as an “eagle woman” because she spoke her mind. (In Kuwaiti culture, an “eagle woman” is an unfavorable characterization). Another said her department’s lab felt like a “garage”: in other words, said Dr. Al-Awadhi, a stereotypically very masculine place. Themes emerged related to needed changes, problem-solving skills, and challenges. Most (78 percent) felt both people and the workplace need to change in order to increase women’s involvement. Identified problem-solving skills differed by type of position. The engineers said they need the skills learned in college to apply to work situations, faculty identified managerial skills to buffer professional and social hostilities, and students identified skills to manage lab time and gain independent work. Major challenges included how to reach their goals and think outside the box.

Other themes not openly disclosed but implicit in the interviews related to support systems, Dr. Al-Awadhi said. Positive non-familial male relationships (e.g., a professor or supervisor), anchor relationships (to bestow trust and confidence), and supportive family members are critical on a woman’s STEM pathway. She suggested that future studies explore opportunities for girls to learn science in Kuwait, the culture and materials needed, and how science education can be useful to Kuwaiti women. She also suggested exploration as to whether engagement or achievement is more critical in women’s STEM careers.

KFAS Approach to Enabling Women in STEM Careers

To conclude the first set of presentations, Layla Al-Musawi (KFAS) talked about how KFAS is enabling women in STEM careers. As noted above and in the first workshop, she stated that women constitute the majority of STEM majors at KU, yet are greatly underrepresented in leadership in both the public and private sectors. Shaking off stereotypes means pointing to women’s successes as the norm and to a mindset of abundance, not scarcity, she said.

KFAS has initiatives that focus on women and also seek gender equality in all other activities. Influential was the Women Leaders in Science Technology, and Engineering International Conference, which showcased successes and overcoming adversity. A 2017 workshop and the current workshop series are among the follow-up activities from that conference.3

The KFAS Ambassadors Animations Series spotlights KFAS-funded research, ensuring that research by women is posted on social media to reach young audiences and provide role models of women in science. Other programs that involve both girls and boys include Design Squad Global at the elementary level and, for middle and high school students, Chief Science Officers and NASA Globe.4 Women in Kuwait are self-empowered, she concluded, but they need to be made visible.

Discussion

The discussion after these presentations clarified some differences between the United States and Arab countries, and also within the Arab region. In answer to a question about the Arab women who do remain in the workforce, Dr. Al-Awadhi said family back-up is critical to help with caregiving and household tasks. One participant said in the United States, the arrival of a second child in the family is often when the largest female drop-off in the labor market occurs. In

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3 See: https://www.nature.com/articles/d42473-018-00067-3#:~:text=Leaders%20from%20many%20scientific%20disciplines,%2C%20technology%2C%20engineering%20and%20mathematics.

4 See: www.chiefscienceofficers.org and https://www.nasa.gov/stem.

Suggested Citation:"The Inclusion of Women in STEM: A Joint Workshop of the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, and the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences: Proceedings of a Workshopin Brief." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2021. The Inclusion of Women in STEM: A Joint Workshop of the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, and the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences: Proceedings of a Workshop–in Brief. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/26190.
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Arab countries, Dr. Hendy replied, the drop-off often occurs at marriage, in expectation of the difficulties in coping with both career and household. Once out of the labor market, women do not tend to return, as in the United States. She also commented on differences between oil-producing and non-oil-producing MENA countries. In the former, a larger public sector can offer jobs. In the latter, the private sector dominates, and men are favored for these jobs as “breadwinners.” A question arose whether international treaties can play a role in resolving the MENA paradox, such as the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). Dr. Hendry replied that treaties may impact women returning to the labor market but do not address women leaving the workforce in the first place or the private sector, which are both important to address. However, she added, the post-COVID-19 world may lead to changes, because women have an important role to play in the recovery.

How Gendered Family Roles Generate Career Inequities

The second part of the panel brought in U.S. perspectives. Kimberlee Shauman (University of California, Davis) reviewed the literature about how gendered family roles generate career inequalities and possible solutions. As documented in a body of interdisciplinary research, she explained, these roles are a subset of society’s gender-defined norms. They encode socially defined expectations related to marriage and parenthood, behaviors, decision-making, and whose work within the family is considered most important. These expectations tend to advantage males and disadvantage females, she added.

According to Dr. Shauman, gendered family roles are conveyed early in life and reinforced through curricular structure and course content; availability (or not) of information, role models, and mentors; media and cultural messages; and interactions with significant others. These influences affect young people’s perceptions and their choices throughout the educational pipeline. Pipeline effects are further compounded by the fact that the graduate, post-doctorate, and early employment periods overlap with the prime years of family formation. Marital role expectations lead both men and women to assume that the man’s career is primary and the woman’s is secondary, such as related to geographic location or whether and when to seek advancement. Gendered norms are embedded in organizational practices, as illustrated by a study of hiring committees that documented that committees regularly consider women’s (but not men’s) relationship status despite laws prohibiting this practice. Married women are assumed to be less mobile than single women or men in any relationship status, despite their qualifications. The impact of childbearing is even more significant, she noted. Motherhood (but not fatherhood) is a powerful correlate in terms of graduate program completion, labor force participation, STEM employment, and career progress and pay. Childbearing and rearing have both direct and indirect effects. The direct effect centers on time. Among indirect effects are perceived barriers about the demands of a STEM career, as well as biased assessments that view women as less qualified and committed to their jobs. Organizational programs aimed at providing flexibility are not always the answer, she added. Studies show significant stigma associated with participation in these programs. They often lack visible leadership and lack of support. Thus, women rarely take full advantage of these programs.

In sum, Dr. Shauman said, gendered family roles tend to lower and lessen the participation and success of women in STEM. Promising research-informed solutions include campaigns to challenge stereotypes; mentorship programs at all levels; leadership to develop positive institutional cultures; institutional support for dual-career hiring programs; training for hiring and promotion committees; accessible quality childcare; and centralized, well-supported leave programs.

The Impact of Asymmetrically Changing Stereotypes on Women's Careers

Alyssa Croft (University of Arizona) studies how people are constrained by invisible barriers and stereotypes, including those related to gender. Traditional social psychology has looked at women, while masculinity and its impact on gender imbalances across domains have been less studied, she pointed out. In contemporary Western societies, gender roles and stereotypes are changing, Dr. Croft said, but the rate of change is much slower for men than for women. These asymmetrically changing gender role stereotypes can limit women’s career opportunities, she posited. Women are becoming more agentic (achievement-oriented) faster than men report becoming more communal (relationship oriented). Women are taking on new identities, but men are not picking up the extra slack at home. Thus, women are not just taking on new roles but additional roles, known as the “second shift,” as found in the Pew Research Center’s American Time Use Survey.5

She and her colleagues investigated whether increasing men’s domestic involvement would change women’s

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5 For more information on Pew’s American Time Use Survey, see: https://www.pewresearch.org/methods/demographic-research/time-usedata/.

Suggested Citation:"The Inclusion of Women in STEM: A Joint Workshop of the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, and the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences: Proceedings of a Workshopin Brief." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2021. The Inclusion of Women in STEM: A Joint Workshop of the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, and the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences: Proceedings of a Workshop–in Brief. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/26190.
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expectations related to their own careers through a set of five studies.6 As an example, one group saw a graph depicting the trend of stay-at-home dads changing very slowly, while another group saw a graph that depicted the same data but looking more dramatic and pronounced (by changing the y-axis). Both groups were asked, after seeing their graphs, about expectations that they would be the primary economic provider and the primary caregiver. The researchers hypothesized that increased role flexibility for men would increase perceptions of role flexibility for women, and the results supported their hypothesis.

Another study7 looked at how asymmetrical changes in gender roles may affect girls and whether there is a link between gender roles at home and children’s career aspirations. Children were asked what they want to be when they grow up, categorized as highly male or highly female stereotypic. Their parents self-reported household division of labor. While there was little variability for sons, daughters were less female-stereotypic in career aspirations when their fathers do more at home.

Dr. Croft stressed the importance of examining all the puzzle pieces (male and female) to achieve female equality and that asymmetrical changes have direct and indirect effects. She called for future research to encourage both men and women to overcome traditional gender role stereotypes.

Microaggressions and Women's Identification as Engineers

Denise Sekaquaptewa (University of Michigan) reported on a study of subtle stereotyping and bias in engineering, evidenced through microaggressions. Microaggressions are behavioral expressions of stereotyping—brief, everyday exchanges that send denigrating messages. She said they are subtle and often ambiguous, often reflect unintended bias, and involve both actions and words. Surveys show women experience more of these behaviors than men, and at a higher rate in STEM fields. Surveys also link microaggressions with lowered academic self-confidence and efficacy and less active participation. However, according to Dr. Sekaquaptewa, much of the research relies on self-reported microaggressions. Third-party observers can provide more clearly defined, potentially less subjective assessments and can reduce the influence of differences in personality in perceiving microaggressions.

She and her colleagues video recorded engineering study teams working on projects. The teams had already formed for an introductory engineering course and agreed to hold several meetings in Dr. Sekaquaptewa’s lab. At their final meeting, the students self-reported if they had been targeted by microaggressions and also participated in a survey assessing engineering identification. The sessions were coded by two independent raters, one male and one female, who looked for instances of microaggressions and also general disrespect to others regardless of sex or other identifiers.

The study found that the more that women were observed to be targeted by microaggressions, the lower their level of engineering identification at the end of the semester, something that did not emerge among men. Further, this association emerged for third-party-observed microaggressions, not for self-reported microaggressions or for general disrespect. The work shows that attention is needed to improve the climate for women in STEM.

Discussion

In the discussion, Lama Moussawi commented on a “bursting” versus “leaking” pipeline in regard to female STEM employment in the Arab world. Women graduate at high rates but do not enter the STEM workforce. She and colleagues at the American University of Beirut are conducting a quantitative and qualitative study across 11 countries, and she characterized the findings as alarming. In many countries, women are only 2 to 3 percent of the workforce. Mentorship and leadership are important, but she said it is also necessary to look at structural systems and employers. Dr. Shauman agreed that all countries need institutional and individual cultural changes, and sustained change requires changing institutional practices and policies.

Dr. Petersen asked about the situation in Kuwait in which women are clearly welcomed to major in STEM at KU but face barriers to work. Dr. AlEssa noted the high percentages are for bachelor’s degrees. Most faculty study abroad for graduate school, and it is much harder for women to do this than men. Another participant suggested two reasons: the relative scarcity of STEM positions, and corruption or favoritism, known as wasta. Many career-related decisions are made during night gatherings—for men only. Dr. Sekaquaptewa noted the National Science Foundation’s ADVANCE programs aim to change the culture at academic institutions. The program at the University of Michigan

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6 Croft, A., T. Schmader, and K. Block. 2019. Life in the balance: Are women’s possible selves constrained by men’s domestic involvement? Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin (45)808-823. https://doi.org/10.1177/0146167218797294&nbsp.

7 Croft, A., T. Schmader, K. Block, and A.S. Baron. (2014). The second shift reflected in the second generation: Do parents’ gender roles at home predict children’s aspirations? Psychological Science (25)1418-1428. doi: 10.1177/0956797614533968.

Suggested Citation:"The Inclusion of Women in STEM: A Joint Workshop of the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, and the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences: Proceedings of a Workshopin Brief." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2021. The Inclusion of Women in STEM: A Joint Workshop of the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, and the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences: Proceedings of a Workshop–in Brief. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/26190.
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has had strong endorsement of leaders and visibility.8 In answer to another question, Dr. Sekaquaptewa suggested two reasons why her study’s observed versus self-reporting of microaggressions diverged. The first related to methods: Students self-reported at the end of the semester and may have forgotten some microaggressions. Second, self-protection may serve to re-interpret a microaggression not as targeted based on identity.

The drop in childbirth rates in Kuwait was mentioned. Dr. Al-Alwadi discussed possible reasons behind the drop. In addition to more women in the labor force, many who remain at home have begun to recognize that “less is better.” Studies show that housewives are more engaged in their children’s education, which may absorb their personal career aspirations. The questioner agreed with the challenges of balancing work and family or, as she phrased it, trying to “hold two watermelons in one hand.”

Dr. Charles asked about intersections between gender and other social categories, such as race, ethnicity, and class. Dr. Shauman said from a U.S. perspective, there is strong interaction between race and gender in family roles. Dr. Al-Ahwad said very few studies have looked at the intersection of gender and racial inequality in the labor market in Kuwait.

RETENTION AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT OF WOMEN IN STEM

Hayfaa Almudhaf (Kuwait University) and Sonya Smith (Howard University) co-chaired a session on retention and career development, building on the first workshop that focused on recruitment. Sonya Smith and Hanady Abdulsalam (Kuwait University) served as moderators for the presentations and discussions.

Retention and Career Development in the Kuwait Oil Sector

Hosnia Hashim (Executive in the Kuwait oil sector) was the first-ever woman appointed as Director of an oil and gas asset producing 730,000 barrels of oil per day in the State of Kuwait.

Eighty percent of KU students in engineering and petroleum are women. Kuwait also has a young population, with current and future young talent making up 65 percent of the total. Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC) and its K-companies succeeded in creating a gender diverse workforce with more than 40 percent of females accessing jobs at different levels. Certain challenges appear to exist restricting female inclusion into higher managerial levels where the percentage drops down to 12 percent (CEO & DCEO). Challenges to attract female workers include the sector being traditionally male-dominated, the balance between the demanding field-related work and family life, inflexible work schedules, and a persistent image of oil-sector work as dirty and requiring physical force.

In 2009, Hashim launched the pioneering initiative of Kuwait Professional Women Networking, which expanded to include all K-companies in 2014. It creates opportunities for female professionals, raises awareness of female role models, and improves networking within and outside the company. A notable achievement was to change the law prohibiting women from working at night and in hazardous situations.

To accelerate gender diversity, she said, it is important to highlight women role models and establish closer relations with academia. Once recruited, women must be retained though clear directives from top management, be given an equal opportunity environment, flexible work, mentoring, and expansion of the utilization of new technologies. Gender diversity, she concluded, is a strategic business decision.

Female Faculty and Leadership Positions at Kuwait University

Alia Marafie (Kuwait University) discussed the influence of the work environment on the inclusion of female faculty in leadership positions at KU. Some women have attained leadership positions, including Dr. Faiza Al-Kharafi as KU’s first female president. Among both STEM and non-STEM faculty, there are fewer full and associate professors who are females; most are assistant professors. Women constitute 19 percent of KU’s leadership positions as of August 2020. But because only full and associate professors are eligible for these positions, she concluded that women are fairly represented numerically.

A survey showed most female STEM faculty are satisfied with their work environment, and to a higher degree compared with other departments and with male colleagues. A higher percentage of males than females think there are equivalent opportunities for females to achieve leadership positions. When asked if female leaders can develop the right team to work with, the great majority agreed. Most female faculty believe they can communicate and get support from their teams, and can introduce innovative visions, demonstrate dedication and passion, and make independent decisions.

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8 Summaries of the ADVANCE program and its implementation at the University of Michigan were presented at the first workshop.

Suggested Citation:"The Inclusion of Women in STEM: A Joint Workshop of the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, and the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences: Proceedings of a Workshopin Brief." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2021. The Inclusion of Women in STEM: A Joint Workshop of the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, and the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences: Proceedings of a Workshop–in Brief. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/26190.
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Developing Grassroots Tech Initiatives for Youth and Women

Zainab AlMeraj (Kuwait University) was the final speaker of the session. When she returned to Kuwait after 13 years abroad, she first joined Rawasi, a local social and legal NGO that defends the rights of women and children. Since then Zainab launched and led several grassroots tech initiatives and fueled them using her own multidisciplinary approach. In each, she faced challenges and learned valuable lessons. For example, she reactivated a club at KU called ClickIT to help students find direction and opportunities. The experience also shaped her as a mentor and coach. She established a chapter of Arab Women in Computing and set up a Google Developer Group Kuwait to facilitate knowledge sharing in the tech sector. She observed that trials lead people to build “thick skin” and trust less, but advocated the importance of helping others and share experiences to advance the state of the art in the country. She observed that people tend to build resilience, but they need to help others and share experiences. Tech initiatives can provide technical training and guidance, networking, mentorships, career coaching, and opportunities for personal and professional growth.

Discussion

In response to questions about the Kuwait Professional Network, Hosnia Hashim explained it is comprised of women and men in the oil sector and related industries. They meet regularly and hold workshops, conferences, and mentoring sessions.

Dr. Marafie was asked about the fact that academic rank seems to be a barrier for KU leadership positions, and how to increase the number of associate and full professorships for women. She noted that when women start graduate studies, usually as single or newlywed without families, their productivity is high. When their duties start to branch out, it affects their research. They may need to collaborate on joint research and establish both catalysts and deadlines.

An assistant professor commented on promotion at KU compared to U.S. institutions. U.S. universities provide a start-up package to an assistant professor to start developing a research program. KU assistant professors receive only a small initiation grant. Bureaucratic obstacles and limited R&D research funding also hamper efforts. KU has a greater priority on teaching, she said, and the current economic climate is an additional challenge.

Preliminary Findings: Women in Engineering Study in Predominantly Muslim Countries

Julie Kmec (Washington State University) spoke on emerging findings from a National science Foundation-funded study titled “Women in Engineering in Predominantly Muslim Countries,” or WIEPMCS.9 It is motivated by data that despite high levels of gender equality in the United States, the percentages of female engineering undergraduates, graduates, and researchers/professionals remain low. The study seeks to discover contributing factors to women’s pursuit and persistence in engineering in Jordan, Malaysia, and Tunisia, which have lower overall gender equality but higher female participation in engineering.

She said emerging findings point to three major themes—gender identity, family, and curricular structure, with some variation across countries. As in the United States, engineering is masculine-stereotyped and nearly all women said they experienced some discrimination. Regarding gender identity, it was rare that a woman said her identity as a woman conflicted with her identity as an engineer. Women feel like they belong, and many like to prove their place by taking on challenges. They developed a strong efficacy in engineering by liking science and getting assistance along the way.

Most said they stay in engineering because of support from parents and extended family. Parents often guide their daughters; in Tunisia, husbands were also cited for their support. Curricular structure is important to enter and stay in engineering. There is a defined pathway into engineering in the three countries. Timing has an impact. Unlike in the United States, where students do not have to declare a major field of study until college, the engineering path begins earlier in the three countries.

Dr. Kmec said the team is further analyzing the data on how these themes differ across the countries and by level of experience.

Women's Promotion in the U.S. Tech Workforce

Sharla Alegria (University of Toronto) discussed the gendered “off-ramps” in the U.S. tech workforce that emerge as diversity efforts succeed unevenly. Tech companies invest in trying to interest girls in tech careers, and larger companies have full-time diversity officers. But while NSF data show increases in women’s participation in some STEM fields over the past several decades, participation in computer and mathematical sciences stands out as not increasing (Figure 2).

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9 For more information on the study, see: http://womeninengineeringpmcs.org.

Suggested Citation:"The Inclusion of Women in STEM: A Joint Workshop of the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, and the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences: Proceedings of a Workshopin Brief." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2021. The Inclusion of Women in STEM: A Joint Workshop of the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, and the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences: Proceedings of a Workshop–in Brief. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/26190.
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FIGURE 2 Women in science and engineering occupations, 1993-2015.
SOURCES: National Science Foundation, National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, SESTAT (1993- 2013), https://www.nsf.gov/statistics/sestat/; and the National Survey of College Graduates (NSCG) (2015), https://www.nsf.gov/statistics/srvygrads/.

At the largest firms, the stairway to the top narrows except for white men. White women’s representation has increased in managerial positions, but not executive leadership positions. (Her research also looks at race, but she said she focused this presentation on white women only, due to limited time). To understand the trend of women moving from technical positions to managerial but not executive positions, she spent one year interviewing and attending conferences. She found many women have moved into managerial positions, often singled out for their people skills. While these are promotions, they also have lower status as non-technical positions and serve “more as a step stool than an escalator,” Dr. Alegria said. Moving into management provides more work-life flexibility but is a move out of technology. In one respect, this off-ramp is considered a diversity success, but removes many women from reaching the top of their companies. She added that moving women out of technical work also shields engineering teams from having to deal with sexism and becoming less hostile.

Leadership Institute for Women in STEM and Manufacturing

Diana Bilimoria (Case Western Reserve University) spoke about the Leadership Institute for Women in STEM and Manufacturing at her university, which focuses on advancing and retaining women in STEM and manufacturing workplaces through professional development. In addition to low female representation in the STEM workforce, there is a dearth of women in manufacturing leadership. The research-based professional development program launched in 2014 and has had nine cohorts (168 participants) to date. There are two sessions of three days each, with virtual connectivity in-between, which includes peer and executive coaching, teamwork development, a 360-survey on leadership competencies, interviews with women leaders in their organization and industry, and other efforts. A critical aspect is involvement by managers and executives from the participants’ companies in order to embed support. Participants develop knowledge and skills to use in the professional and personal lives. Organizational benefits include talent retention, identification of strong candidates for advancement, and staying up-to-date on best practices in gender diversity and inclusion. The Leadership Institute prepares women to thrive in their careers and return to their companies with new ideas and skills to apply. The program emphasizes the dual purposes of equipping women participants to advance in their careers as well as lead in the transformation of their organizations.

Discussion

The discussion period began with what has been called the gender equality paradox, in which women in countries in the West have greater equality but less STEM representation in education and workforce than in Arab and other countries. Dr. Charles said one explanation is the process by which men and women choose careers differs in highly affluent Western societies, with the imperative to “express your true self” often greater than the need to achieve security or status through an occupation. In addition, when educational placement takes place through early tracking or sorting, as happens in Arab countries, a higher representation of women in STEM fields results.

Suggested Citation:"The Inclusion of Women in STEM: A Joint Workshop of the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, and the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences: Proceedings of a Workshopin Brief." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2021. The Inclusion of Women in STEM: A Joint Workshop of the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, and the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences: Proceedings of a Workshop–in Brief. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/26190.
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How to make IT teams less hostile to women was also discussed. Dr. Alegria said research indicates that implicit bias training, which aims to change people’s minds, does not always work. She suggested a focus on accountability and measurement, for example, not promoting or rewarding managers of non-diverse teams. She also clarified that her data change when looking at non-Asian women of color in IT. She noted stereotypes of women are not only gender but also race-based in the U.S. context.

Another participant suggested applicability of the Leadership Institute beyond manufacturing. All STEM areas can benefit from targeted career development, Dr. Bilimoria agreed. It is also important to focus on women’s leadership skills as they are promoted.

KEYNOTE ADDRESS: DR. SELWA ALHAZZAA

In introducing Selwa AlHazzaa (Alfaisal University), Dalal Najib (the National Academies) highlighted Dr. Al-Hazzaa’s pioneering work as an influential physician, researcher, and leader in Saudi Arabia over her past 40 years journey in medicine.

Dr. Al-Hazzaa titled her talk “One Grain of Sand.” Saudi Arabia is known for its sand, she said, and sand serves as an apt metaphor for the passage of time. Sand is countless, she added, yet one tiny grain can blind the strongest creature and a few more can halt a jet engine. Her life journey as she indicated exists within this metaphor, she said.

She said she embraces her Saudi culture and believes her accomplishments demonstrate that transformation and culture can co-exist. Her father strongly believed in education. He fought all odds to educate himself by pretending to be blind in order to enroll in a school for blind students at a madrassa at night, after working all day. He shocked his family in the mid-1960s—not only in that he was literate, but he had received one of Saudi Arabia’s first scholarships to the United States. The family strongly opposed his decision to study in the “land of the infidels” and to bring his wife and five daughters with him.

When the family returned to Saudi Arabia in the late 1970s, doors were closed to females. Yet, Dr. Al-Hazzaa realized that if her own father pursued his dreams not just for himself but for his family and took tremendous risks, she, too, could meet her challenges and take greater risks. She had no Saudi role models, so she set a goal to be a role model for the next generation. In the early 1980s, she enrolled in the College of Medicine. Throughout her career, she said, she took small, smart, calculated steps within the traditional system—believing in an evolution not revolution, she said.

Ophthalmology was the only approved medical residency in Riyadh (scholarships for Saudi females did not exist then and as a single woman, she could not study abroad); thus, she said, “It chose me.” Later, she completed a fellowship in Baltimore, while her husband worked at the Saudi Embassy. Her three children were born in the United States. The family returned to Saudi Arabia in 1994. She became the first Saudi female chair at King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, the leading health institute in the Middle East. She has also been attending ophthalmologist to the late King Fahad and Saudi royal family. She is especially proud that her work and accomplishments have opened doors for other Saudi women and that she can bridge the Saudi and U.S. cultures. In 2019, she was the first surgeon in the Middle East to use a genetic injection treatment for inherited retinal diseases, making Saudi Arabia a Center for Excellence in gene therapy in 2019. She continues to contribute to transform and reshape her country in track with the ambitious Saudi 2030 Vision.10 She is also committed to continue to treat the common causes of blindness and improve screening in the Arab region.

She concluded by thanking her father: “Had it not been for my great father and his belief in education, I would not be what I am today.”

MENTORING AND ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE

Session co-chair Ameenah Farhan (Kuwait University) opened the session by acknowledging the three recent female Nobel prize-winners in physics and chemistry and their goal of inspiring young women. Sapna Cheryan (University of Washington) served as the U.S. co-chair. Sharifa AlRagam (Public Authority for Applied Education and Training moderated the session. She noted the presenters would discuss the importance of mentorship, especially in a scientific environment, and solutions to promote mentorship in the workplace.

Mentorship to Create the Environment for Women and Girls in STEM

To Maha Al-Mozaini (King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center), STEM education is more important now than ever to improve lives, in every country. Technological advances revolutionize every industry, and STEM jobs are in high

________________

10 See: https://www.vision2030.gov.sa/.

Suggested Citation:"The Inclusion of Women in STEM: A Joint Workshop of the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, and the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences: Proceedings of a Workshopin Brief." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2021. The Inclusion of Women in STEM: A Joint Workshop of the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, and the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences: Proceedings of a Workshop–in Brief. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/26190.
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demand. Female representation is needed to maximize innovation, creativity, and competitiveness. Challenges within the next 50 years, intensified by climate change and population growth, require the thinking and leadership of the whole population.

At the global level, according to UN data, there is progress in girls’ participation in education, but not in STEM. With debate about nature versus nurture to explain this gap, Dr. Al-Mozaini said she strongly believes in the influence of the environment. She called for ways to invest in the environment, nurture, and spark interest among the young. Her own daughter’s career as an engineer shows the role of the family. An associate researcher whom she mentored shows the influence of non-family support. And at the organizational level, she began a training mentorship program in 2019 at King Faisal University for recent graduates in biology to pursue research careers.

She ended with a rhetorical question: How many young girls with brilliant scientific minds have we lost to societal expectations, and how many more are we willing to lose? She called for more resources and a better environment to empower them.

Mentorship in Kuwait

Dareen AlMojil (New York University Abu Dhabi) discussed preliminary findings of a study on Kuwait’s mentoring culture. Harkening to the past, mentorship was integral to scientific education in the Islamic Golden Age. Students benefited through what is known today as organic mentorship--short but constructive interactions. One effect of the #MeToo movement, she reported, is that some men are reluctant to mentor women, for fear of misperceptions. Organic mentorships can get around this obstacle.

In her study, begun in October 2019, an online survey was sent to female and male researchers, students, and others working in science. Most saw having a mentor as positive, but only about half have a scientific mentor. Of those who do, about half of the mentors are in Kuwait and the others are abroad. What are the limitations to having a mentor? Most participants characterized the Kuwaiti scientific environment as poor related to career growth, collaborative environment, and exchange of scientific knowledge, all of which are part of mentoring. They expressed a lack of trust, which is needed for a healthy mentorship environment, she added.

After identifying the problem, Dr. AlMojil suggested solutions that included: (1) hiring and promoting future mentors; (2) mentor-of-the-moment courses; (3) routine assessments of the mentoring culture; and (4) reinforcement and rewards for mentoring behaviors. She stressed the importance of building habits to cultivate a mentorship culture in the future.

Mentoring to Bridge Between Engineering Education and Employment

Malak Al-Rasheed (Kuwait University) spoke on mentoring to bridge the gap between studying to be an engineer and becoming one, based on her study using a social cognitive approach.11 As discussed above, women represent the majority of KU engineering students, but this does not translate to the workplace. Moreover, KU’s engineering faculty has 17 women and 133 men.

The influence of role models remains a central contributor to the formation of professionals, she said. Her study examined the relationship between mentoring and professional identity, career persistence as it relates to the size and type of mentorship, and any significant correlation between engineering identify and career persistence.

More than half of those surveyed had no mentors, about one-quarter had one mentor, and another one-quarter had more than one mentor. Mentors could be faculty (male or female), professional engineers, graduate students, or peers. It was shown that the size of the experience (no, one, or more than one mentor) had a significant effect on engineering identity. Further, the study also revealed a strong positive association between engineering identity and persistence in the field. Mentoring affects self-image, cognitive image, and a sense of belonging; creates a professional identify; and increases the changes of persistence in the field.

Because mentoring seems to be the missing link in bridging the gap between studying to be an engineer and becoming one, she recommended to

  • Advocate for the rejuvenation of faculty-student mentoring;
  • Create a culture of mentorship in the workplace; and
  • Strengthen the social community of STEM professionals to facilitate exposure to relationships with other professionals.

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11 This theory is based on the work of Albert Bandura, who published Social Foundations of Thought and Action in 1986.

Suggested Citation:"The Inclusion of Women in STEM: A Joint Workshop of the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, and the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences: Proceedings of a Workshopin Brief." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2021. The Inclusion of Women in STEM: A Joint Workshop of the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, and the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences: Proceedings of a Workshop–in Brief. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/26190.
×

Discussion

The discussion centered on collaboration in advancing women in STEM. A positive female role model provides enrichment of skills and knowledge, in addition to ethical grounding and clearer vision, said one participant. A question arose about mentoring style, given STEM’s competitive, often cut-throat culture. As one participant asked, should mentors support women so they can join this type of culture or offer alternative styles of doing research and collaboration? Should women be fitting in or re-creating cultures? While there was no definitive answer, Dr. Al-Mazaini noted mentors need training and skills to be effective. Dr. Al-Hazzaa shared an observation that she sees men as better at networking than women. She said she encourages women to network as strongly as men, help each other up the ladder, and not only look for a mentor but plan to become one. Dr. Al-Rasheed suggested different mentorships—not just within the profession but also the larger community, to create a culture of helping out.

Another participant pointed out mentoring has different definitions and models. They may be very intensive relationships with people of power (coaching or sponsorship). Another model involves “multiple mentorships teams,” in which mentors offer different expertise. Dr. AlMojil noted the benefit of mentorship not just for career advancement but to validate and instill self-confidence in one’s own ideas.

Reconceptualizing Mentoring

The discussion about mentoring models led into a presentation by Joyce Yen (University of Washington) about reconceptualizing mentorship. Drawing from the children’s book Are You My Mother, people often wishfully look for someone to be their mentor and seek the one perfect mentor. She suggested considering one’s mentoring needs instead of seeking an “uber-mentor” or “mentoring guru.” Social identities (e.g., race, gender, and many more) influence one’s mentoring experience because mentoring occurs within a given social context. She highlighted research on the importance of culturally informed mentoring. Dr. Yen proposed a multiple mentors model based on a useful tool developed by the National Center for Faculty Development and Diversity. Their “Multiple Mentors Map” enables thinking of one’s mentoring needs, such as honest feedback or access to opportunities, and who can meet them (Figure 3).

Image
Figure 3 Simplified Multiple Mentors Map adapted from the National Center for Faculty Development and Diversity’s Mentoring Map. The map emphasizes identifying a person’s mentoring needs and who can meet those needs.
SOURCE: National Center for Faculty Development and Diversity, 2011-2018.

According to Dr. Yen, mentoring should be viewed as a culture and a system, rather than an individual experience. To create a culture of mentoring, it is important to recognize how underlying structures and systems help or inhibit mentoring. Cultural change fixes the system, not the individual, she stressed. For example, a study about the progress of STEM graduate students at one U.S. institution showed that women and underrepresented minorities submit fewer papers than men—except in chemistry. The researchers discovered the chemistry department has a culture of structure with clear processes and expectations about advancement. Such structure can contribute to a culture of

Suggested Citation:"The Inclusion of Women in STEM: A Joint Workshop of the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, and the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences: Proceedings of a Workshopin Brief." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2021. The Inclusion of Women in STEM: A Joint Workshop of the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, and the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences: Proceedings of a Workshop–in Brief. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/26190.
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mentoring. She also noted that traditionally, mentorships connect senior with more junior professionals. However, she suggested using a broader, more systemic lens to also consider mentoring obtained through circles of advisors, peer networks, and workshops. Each of these spaces offer a chance to get ones mentoring needs met.

The Impact of Diversity Awards

Adriana Germano (University of Washington) and colleagues looked at whether offering diversity awards discourages marginalized groups from pursuing more lucrative opportunities. Because marginalized applicants are less likely to receive awards relative to white and male applicants, organizations have created diversity awards. Advantages of diversity awards include creating additional winning opportunities to groups typically less likely to win awards and the opportunity to network with other scholars in the applicants’ field. However, offering diversity awards can have drawbacks. For one, they are often seen as less high-status than unrestricted awards. Second, marginalized applicants may not have the time or resources to apply for both diversity and unrestricted awards, or in some instances may be prohibited from doing so. Her team assessed whether offering diversity awards leads marginalized applicants to be less likely to apply for more lucrative unrestricted awards.

The team hypothesized that marginalized applicants would be more likely to apply for diversity over unrestricted awards because of fit. Across four studies, the team found that women and underrepresented racial minorities (URMs) were more likely to apply for smaller diversity awards over larger unrestricted awards when a diversity award was offered. Fit best mediated marginalized applicant’s increased likelihood of applying for diversity over unrestricted awards.

Why might this be a problem? Siphoning off women and URM from larger awards leaves the pool for the more lucrative awards to mostly white men. She stressed not to eliminate diversity awards. Instead, the solution lies in changing the program announcements and award descriptions of unrestricted awards to better fit with marginalized applicants’ self-views.

Data Infrastructures for Research on Women in STEM

Chandra Muller (University of Texas, Austin) reviewed the workshop’s presentations to offer thoughts about compiling and using data and data infrastructures to improve representation of women in STEM. She noted the presentations described three stages of research: defining and measuring a problem, identifying the mechanisms that produce inequality, and designing and evaluating solutions. They are related but the data requirements are different, Dr. Muller stated.

The first stage, she said, is resource-intensive and requires systematic data collection. Large datasets, such as a census or large representative sample, are needed, with key indicators to locate a problem within a smaller group and measure it over time. These datasets require a major commitment; in the U.S., this is usually the federal government. Data also need to be available and accessible to learn what, where, when, and for whom there is a problem of underrepresentation.

These data do not explain why or how there is inequality. For this stage, it is important to identify mechanisms, such as stereotypes and perceptions of roles. Surveys, for example, uncover mechanisms not evident in benchmark indicators. They may also inform future indicators and suggest possible interventions. For the third stage, data are needed to look at causal impact on key indicators and to monitor trends and changes. She stressed the research phases are not linear but must work together iteratively. It is also critical to have transparency and data-sharing.

Dr. Muller concluded that closing the STEM gender gap requires substantial resources for systemic,ongoing, sustained data collection, as well as a scientific infrastructure for public reporting, peer review, and a diverse workforce of scholars. She urged advocating for extensive and available government data.

Discussion

A participant asked Dr. Germano whether diversity awards emphasize female inferiority. She replied that U.S. data support that women and people of color are less likely to win the larger awards, so diversity awards help level the playing field. The problem to her is not the perception of these awards but that women and URMs may forego other opportunities. She suggested the solution is not to eliminate them, but to make other awards more equitable.

Another participant asked how to improve faculty mentoring at KU. She suggested a faculty advising council, as exists at some U.S. schools, to mentor younger faculty to help with grants, networking, and feedback on ideas. A structured mechanism that incentivize more experienced faculty to participate would be enormous step forward for all younger faculty members. She also urged others to be proactive in seeking mentorship. Dr. Yen agreed that there are many ways to give and receive mentoring. Her program creates workshops for faculty to exchange information. When people hear what others are encountering, they better understand their own situation and needs.

Suggested Citation:"The Inclusion of Women in STEM: A Joint Workshop of the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, and the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences: Proceedings of a Workshopin Brief." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2021. The Inclusion of Women in STEM: A Joint Workshop of the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, and the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences: Proceedings of a Workshop–in Brief. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/26190.
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In the Arab world, one participant observed, most women do not get training in how to mentor and interact with others, and asked how to start. Dr. Yen noted the concept of “small wins,” rather than aiming too big, too fast. Create small changes and build on them, she suggested.

In discussing the first steps in measuring inequalities on a national level, Dr. Muller noted the challenge to consistently collect data but also reflect changes in the field. “We need benchmarks indicators that do not change, then nuanced additional categories that adapt over time,” she said. There is not a single dataset but an interlocking infrastructure. The other essential feature is transparency and access for independent scientists. If data are held only by those who have an interest in the outcome, this can undermine trust, she stressed.

A Kuwaiti participant reflected that she heard several participants from Arab countries discuss negative interactions among women but did not hear this from U.S. participants. She asked about data that look at women seeing each other as a threat, noting she has not experienced this. Dr. Cheryan noted some data on “climbing and kicking” in the United States, but she said we need more work to understand how prevalent this phenomenon. Dr. Yen said that when it was rarer for women to work in many fields, some women may have perceived a scarcity of resources and acted in their self-interest. Others were pioneers and wanted to bring other women along. Dr. AlHazzaa noted that until recently, very few women in the Gulf region were in top positions. A pioneer woman may have spent so much time trying to promote herself, she might not have been able to help other women. She also observed that to succeed, women often work many times harder than men.

EFFECTIVE STRATEGIES AND LESSONS LEARNED

The workshop concluded by looking across all the sessions, moderated by committee co-chairs Dr. Cheryan and Ms. Almudhaf.

Ms. Almudhaf acknowledged KFAS for funding and support in the belief in the role of women in STEM. She urged participants to learn from international practices and to seek collaboration and partnerships. “Networking is your tool, and technology helps,” she added. Looking across both workshops, she noted discussion of several successful programs that can be adapted to the MENA region.

In the discussion that ensued, participants stressed the need to help young girls recognize the need to network. Another asked about the representation of women with disabilities in STEM. Dr. Yen referred the questioner to the DO-IT program, which focuses on people with disabilities in STEM and recently received an NSF grant.12

A comment was made about heterogeneity with the Arab region related to sects, class, and other factors. In addition, STEM professionals are educated aboard and return home to contribute, bringing different perspectives. Looking at subgroups and their needs could be helpful in relation to mentorship and career development. Dr. Cheryan commented that a lot of the workshop had focused on what Arab countries can learn from the United States. She noted that American women in STEM can learn from their Arab counterparts. For example, she said, Arab presenters discussed a far broader family network than in the U.S., which usually centers on the spouse. One lesson to learn is how women in the U.S. can create more interdependent networks.

In closing, Dr. Najib invited the participants from the U.S. and Arab countries to continue the conversation.

________________

12 For more information, see: https://www.washington.edu/doit/programs/accessstem/overview/about-accessstem-project.

Suggested Citation:"The Inclusion of Women in STEM: A Joint Workshop of the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, and the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences: Proceedings of a Workshopin Brief." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2021. The Inclusion of Women in STEM: A Joint Workshop of the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, and the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences: Proceedings of a Workshop–in Brief. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/26190.
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DISCLAIMER: The Proceedings of a Workshop—in Brief was prepared by Dalal Najib and Paula Tarnapol Whitacre as a factual proceedings of what occurred at the meeting. The statements made are those of the author or individual meeting participants and do not necessarily represent the views of all meeting participants, the planning committee, or the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.

REVIEWERS: To ensure that it meets institutional standards for quality and objectivity, this Proceedings of a Workshop—in Brief was reviewed in draft form by Esra Aleisa, Kuwait University; Mary Fox, Georgia Institute of Technology; and Christine Wotipka, Stanford University. The review comments and draft manuscript remain confidential to protect the integrity of the process.

PLANNING COMMITTEE: Hayfaa Almudhaf (Co-chair), Sapna Cheryan (Co-chair), Hala AlEssa, Maria Charles, Ameenah Farhan, and Sonya Smith.

SPONSORS: This workshop was sponsored by the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences (KFAS) through an agreement with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.

Suggested citation: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2021. The Inclusion of Women in STEM: A Joint Workshop of the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, and the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences: Proceedings of a Workshop—in Brief. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/26190.

Policy and Global Affairs

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Copyright 2021 by the National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.

Suggested Citation:"The Inclusion of Women in STEM: A Joint Workshop of the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, and the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences: Proceedings of a Workshopin Brief." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2021. The Inclusion of Women in STEM: A Joint Workshop of the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, and the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences: Proceedings of a Workshop–in Brief. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/26190.
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Suggested Citation:"The Inclusion of Women in STEM: A Joint Workshop of the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, and the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences: Proceedings of a Workshopin Brief." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2021. The Inclusion of Women in STEM: A Joint Workshop of the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, and the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences: Proceedings of a Workshop–in Brief. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/26190.
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Suggested Citation:"The Inclusion of Women in STEM: A Joint Workshop of the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, and the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences: Proceedings of a Workshopin Brief." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2021. The Inclusion of Women in STEM: A Joint Workshop of the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, and the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences: Proceedings of a Workshop–in Brief. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/26190.
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Suggested Citation:"The Inclusion of Women in STEM: A Joint Workshop of the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, and the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences: Proceedings of a Workshopin Brief." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2021. The Inclusion of Women in STEM: A Joint Workshop of the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, and the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences: Proceedings of a Workshop–in Brief. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/26190.
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Suggested Citation:"The Inclusion of Women in STEM: A Joint Workshop of the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, and the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences: Proceedings of a Workshopin Brief." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2021. The Inclusion of Women in STEM: A Joint Workshop of the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, and the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences: Proceedings of a Workshop–in Brief. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/26190.
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Suggested Citation:"The Inclusion of Women in STEM: A Joint Workshop of the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, and the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences: Proceedings of a Workshopin Brief." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2021. The Inclusion of Women in STEM: A Joint Workshop of the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, and the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences: Proceedings of a Workshop–in Brief. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/26190.
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Suggested Citation:"The Inclusion of Women in STEM: A Joint Workshop of the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, and the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences: Proceedings of a Workshopin Brief." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2021. The Inclusion of Women in STEM: A Joint Workshop of the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, and the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences: Proceedings of a Workshop–in Brief. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/26190.
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Suggested Citation:"The Inclusion of Women in STEM: A Joint Workshop of the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, and the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences: Proceedings of a Workshopin Brief." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2021. The Inclusion of Women in STEM: A Joint Workshop of the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, and the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences: Proceedings of a Workshop–in Brief. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/26190.
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Suggested Citation:"The Inclusion of Women in STEM: A Joint Workshop of the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, and the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences: Proceedings of a Workshopin Brief." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2021. The Inclusion of Women in STEM: A Joint Workshop of the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, and the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences: Proceedings of a Workshop–in Brief. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/26190.
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Suggested Citation:"The Inclusion of Women in STEM: A Joint Workshop of the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, and the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences: Proceedings of a Workshopin Brief." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2021. The Inclusion of Women in STEM: A Joint Workshop of the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, and the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences: Proceedings of a Workshop–in Brief. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/26190.
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Suggested Citation:"The Inclusion of Women in STEM: A Joint Workshop of the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, and the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences: Proceedings of a Workshopin Brief." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2021. The Inclusion of Women in STEM: A Joint Workshop of the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, and the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences: Proceedings of a Workshop–in Brief. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/26190.
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Suggested Citation:"The Inclusion of Women in STEM: A Joint Workshop of the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, and the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences: Proceedings of a Workshopin Brief." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2021. The Inclusion of Women in STEM: A Joint Workshop of the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, and the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences: Proceedings of a Workshop–in Brief. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/26190.
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Suggested Citation:"The Inclusion of Women in STEM: A Joint Workshop of the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, and the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences: Proceedings of a Workshopin Brief." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2021. The Inclusion of Women in STEM: A Joint Workshop of the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, and the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences: Proceedings of a Workshop–in Brief. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/26190.
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Suggested Citation:"The Inclusion of Women in STEM: A Joint Workshop of the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, and the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences: Proceedings of a Workshopin Brief." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2021. The Inclusion of Women in STEM: A Joint Workshop of the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, and the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences: Proceedings of a Workshop–in Brief. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/26190.
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The Inclusion of Women in STEM: A Joint Workshop of the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, and the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences: Proceedings of a Workshop–in Brief Get This Book
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Women play important roles in science, engineering, technology, and mathematics (STEM) in the United States and in Arab countries, but they face challenges related to education and employment. Held October 5-7 2020, this was the second workshop in a series convened by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences. This workshop shared promising practices to increase the inclusion of women in STEM, focusing on gender stereotypes and family roles, retention and career development, and the role of mentorship. The workshop planning committee, comprised of women from the U.S. and Kuwait, identified themes relevant to American and Arab professionals from a wide range of disciplines and career stages, and they organized presentations and discussions around these themes. This publication summarizes the presentation and discussion of the workshop.

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