The Inclusion of Women in STEM in Kuwait and the United States Proceedings of a Workshop (2020) / Chapter Skim
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2 Challenges and Barriers Facing Women to Enter and Thrive
2 Challenges and Barriers Facing Women to Enter and Thrive
Pages 7-22
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, Malak Abed AlThagafi (King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology, Saudi Arabia) , and Munirah AlAjlan (Kuwait University)
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, raised a theme referred to frequently during the workshop: Arab women are not underrepresented in STEM education and careers; but while positive examples of success by Arab women in STEM fields are abundant, participation is broadest at the base and tapers toward the top leadership positions. Her presentation focused on factors that lead to the decline of women's success in STEM as they rise in the ranks and offered a road map for better representation of Arab women in the STEM fields at all levels.
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El-Badri also noted "differences related to culture, socioeconomic status, and so on," among countries considered part of the Arab world. There seem to be no barriers to women entering STEM fields in universities in many Arab countries, especially in natural sciences, health, and medicine, and especially in the Gulf States, including Kuwait.
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Several reasons, she said, referring to a 2014 Pew Research Center survey: Women are often held to higher standards, are deemed "not ready" for more senior positions, have family obligations, or have not been able to make sufficient connections. Focusing on the gender gap in STEM fields, research has pointed to gendered socialization, the influence of peer groups, stereotypes of STEM professionals, institutional bias, and family responsibilities.3 El-Badri then turned to an Egyptian case study on supports and barriers for gender equity in STEM education.
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It helps women around the world, including in the Arab world, build bonds with each other and achieve success. NARRATIVES OF WOMEN IN A MAN'S WORLD Munirah AlAjlan, an English as a Second Language instructor at the College of Engineering and Petroleum, Kuwait University, presented a socioinguistic case study of female engineering students at Kuwait Univer l sity.
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Her study took place at Kuwait University College of Engineering and Petroleum. The study used semistructured, one-on-one interviews with six female engineering students about their experiences at Kuwait University.
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AlAjlan plans to use Josselson's identity development model and investigate the women's identities over time. DISCUSSION In a discussion session, presenters and others around the table addressed the differential career paths between women and men in Kuwait.
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"Mentorship is definitely lacking in higher ranks." Although she has not studied this conclusively, she also noted that women retire younger than men in Kuwait, thus removing these role models from the workforce earlier. CHALLENGES AND CONSEQUENCES OF THE "BRILLIANCE=MEN" STEREOTYPE Lin Bian, assistant professor in the Department of Human Development at Cornell University, has focused her research on trying to explain gender gaps in the STEM domain and variability within STEM and non-STEM domains.
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Available at http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/srvydoctorates. Gender Stereotypes and Brilliance In the first study, 48 boys and 48 girls ages 5 to 7 were shown a photo of a man and a woman.
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Gender Stereotypes and Girls' Interest Toward Activities that Require Brilliance Bian's second study attempted to answer whether this negative stereotype affects young girls' motivation, leading them to avoid activities said to require brilliance. In this study, 64 6- and 7-year-olds received descriptions of two games, one described as for children who are "really, really smart," and the other for children who "try really, really hard."8 They were asked if they would want to play the games, with the prediction that the girls would show less interest toward the "really, really smart" or " rilliance" game.
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Previous decades offered job security and little turnover, competitive benefits, a robust middle- management sector, but also occupational segregation. Today's working world offers less job security, flatter organizations, and lower employer-provided benefits, but also more stated support for racial diversity.
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"There is more discourse about creating diversity in professional occupations." Wingfield has looked at how Black professionals in the United States have navigated the new economy, with a focus on Black women in health care. The health sector reflects economic and cultural changes, is the site of both good and bad jobs, and offers dwindling support for public-sector care, Wingfield said.
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Increasing the number of women and racial minorities in the healthcare professions could also improve health-care outcomes, she noted. GENDER AND CAREERS: WORK-FAMILY CHALLENGES, CHOICES, AND INTERVENTIONS Erin Kelly, professor of work and organization studies at the assachusetts Institute of Technology Sloan School of Management, drew M from her own research and other U.S.
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"Something is triggering even highly satisfied women to leave." Changes to the Ideal Worker Norm Kelly and colleague Phyllis Moen were involved in research funded by the National Institutes of Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and several foundations to study how work, family, and health are interrelated; evaluate workplace changes that might benefit workers, families, and firms; and change the public conversation around these issues. Six studies took place.11 Kelly focused her presentation on one of these studies that involved an experiment among professionals in a large information technology company.
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• "Choices" to leave after family transitions are constrained and reflect gendered ideal worker norms. • Current work practices and career structures do not work for many women and men.
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