{"id":7103,"date":"2024-12-03T22:30:47","date_gmt":"2024-12-04T03:30:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sites.miamioh.edu\/exemplary-science-teaching\/?p=7103"},"modified":"2024-12-08T22:44:30","modified_gmt":"2024-12-09T03:44:30","slug":"representation-in-stem-we-can-all-reach-for-the-stars","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sites.miamioh.edu\/exemplary-science-teaching\/2024\/12\/representation-in-stem-we-can-all-reach-for-the-stars\/","title":{"rendered":"Representation in STEM: We Can all Reach for the Stars"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

I often reflect on my journey and the influences that led me to become a teacher. As a Vietnamese American woman, I lacked role models who looked like me in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) growing up. STEM felt like an exclusive unwelcoming space. They were subjects that I felt I wasn\u2019t welcome to excel in. I recently listened to an interview between Amanda Nguyen, the first Vietnamese Woman Astronaut, and Pivotal, <\/em>one of Melinda Gates’s Philanthropies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cWe came on boats, and now we’re on spaceships. To me, that represents the resiliency of our community, but I hope it also inspires other people to know that they belong in these spaces. I\u2019m the first, but I won\u2019t be the last. I want young Vietnamese, Southeast Asian, Asian-American women to see this and understand that they deserve to dream big. Even if those dreams are literally out of this world, we can achieve it.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n-Amanda Nguyen<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Amanda Nguyen is more than a trailblazer in the field of astronomy. She is a Nobel Peace Prize nominee, a TIME Woman of the Year, and the founder of Rise, a nonprofit advocating for survivors of sexual violence and gender equality on behalf of the Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) community. She strives to empower women and continues to create a lasting movement. To ensure equity for women, BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) individuals, and people with disabilities in STEM fields we have far to go.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Statistically Speaking\u2026<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n
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  • Women<\/strong>: Women compose 50% of the college-educated workforce but hold only 28% of STEM jobs, with low representation in engineering and computer science. While health-related fields have seen improvement, other areas continue to lag (PEW Research).<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • BIPOC Individuals<\/strong>: Hispanic workers represent 17% of the total workforce but only 8% of STEM jobs. Similarly, Black workers make up 11% of the workforce but hold 9% of STEM roles (NSF). Both are significantly underrepresented. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • People with Disabilities<\/strong>: Individuals with disabilities encounter systemic barriers, including a lack of accessibility in educational environments and biases in hiring practices.
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    Why Representation in STEM is Crucial<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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