5.1 Gender equality and the gender gap in STEM by EUN Partnership aisbl

Ana, Croatia

anit207 — 2017-04-17 10:33:23 UTC

In my country there are more men in every STEM area. I think that has something to do with the tradition in our country. Men have more time and less duties regarding to family. But there are women who are very succesful in STEM areas.

Sónia Fonseca, Portugal

ladyss — 2017-04-17 11:04:12 UTC

I think female students are interested in STEM areas as much as the boys, however I think society in general is close-minded and tries to influence the kids ideas with things as basic as the cover of this book. Sadly, women are still considered different from men and I believe it will take a long time to change mentalities.

José María, Spain

2017-04-17 11:09:56 UTC

I can only talk about the students I know. I do not see statistics or know the reasons for the personal differences that lead to them. During my high school classes interest in STEM careers is balanced and I really love it. In my house too: my daughter studies geology and my two children Physics and Informatics. They have always been free to choose.

Bianca B, Romania

2017-04-17 11:12:49 UTC

In my country are more women than men. Despite that, the rate of the employment is bigger for men. Unfortunately, the female students are not that interested in STEM areas, but using some interesting experiments can captivate their attention and curiosity.

Christina, Malta

cgruppetta — 2017-04-17 11:47:20 UTC

I teach grade 3 students and their mindset about these stereotypical roles and careers are already formed. Last week we were discussing colours and how 'pink' is not only for girls. The majority of the boys were astonished to hear this (they couldn't believe it). This showed me that these kinds of stereotypes start from the smallest of things (choice of toys, colours, telling boys that it's okay to make mistakes/ or be messy, telling girls to be 'sensitive' 'neat' 'caring'). Unfortunately children absorb these cues like a sponge and form their perceptions & futures with them. This is were us teachers have to step in or else there is always going to be less women in STEM careers. In my country there are much less women in such careers unfortunately it's the result of our culture and values.

Niko, Thessaloniki

manik1 — 2017-04-17 12:04:57 UTC

i dont see any gender gap in STEM in my Country

Silvia, Spain

2017-04-17 12:07:37 UTC

I think that, despite of women are more interested in STEM careers nowadays, is an obvious thing there is no equality yet. In my country, we are a minority, almost in my career (computer engineering) and our collegues and other people are always with the "typical sexist jokes". I am convince that nowadays women have to work more and harder to demonstrate their value than men.

María, Spain

2017-04-17 12:30:19 UTC

I think girls in my classroom like STEM areas but it is easier to choose other careers where you can finish it with excellent marks. In my case, I had to leave my scientist job because my boss wanted to pay me less than a man for the same work.
Nowadays I work as a teacher and I have the same salary that a male teacher.
It is difficult for a woman in my country to work in some proffessions where men ever have been protagonists

Francesca Barile

2017-04-17 12:47:12 UTC

Nowadays things are changing in mu country. I live in Ischia and I have been teaching english in a professional school once attended by only males. Now I have four girls, that means the individual interest in choosing a particular career, is no longer very conditioned by other factors. Maya, this is the name of my oldest famales of my school is happy and clever. When she started, four years ago, she had problems with teachers, because they thought she was unable to practice in the lab as well as the males. She worhed hard and now she is the best!

Andrea Checchetti, Italy

dreache — 2017-04-17 13:01:57 UTC

In the field of science and high technology in the last two decades the gender gap has decreased. Certainly continue to be relevant the pay gap and the number of the top figures in the company. Wide gender gaps are characteristic of the labour market, particularly in the southern regions.

gligomat

gligomat448 — 2017-04-17 13:11:12 UTC

When you think ‘engineer’, When you think ‘scientist’, When you hear entrepreneur’, who comes to mind? If you had images of men, white lab coats and geeks writing code, you’re not alone. In fact most people have well entrenched stereotypes when they think of people in STEM careers (science, technology, engineering and maths.). The earlier children are exposed to science and technology the more likely they’ll develop an interest in it and pursue further study. Offering STEM related workshops and bringing in women who work in STEM fields to talk about their jobs opens young girls imaginations to new possibilities for themselves.

Esra Duygu, TURKEY

esraduyguu — 2017-04-17 13:35:36 UTC

In our country, the education of the girls was pushed into the 2nd plan. But lately it has changed. Now the girls are beginning to have a say in science, in technology, in engineering, in science. And some projects (http://gisproject.org/) are now starting to show the importance of girls

Sophia, Greece

2017-04-17 13:36:23 UTC

Gender stereotypes are really strong. The games and toys girls and boys are playing as well as the heroes in the childrenbooks show the way.
Real talents don't get lost but for the average pupil-student is much more possible for a boy than a girl to follow STEM studies and careers.

Luisa,Italy

rluisa392 — 2017-04-17 13:41:57 UTC

In my country,the gender gap in STEM is a cultural thing.In the private sector men account for nine-tenths of the members of boards of directors in largese componies,but also in the public sector where women are also underrepresented. High-technology sectors are dominated by men.Women have lower pensions and salaries.In my class there are no gender differences. The last decade the gender gap has decreased. In 2015, Samanta Cristoforetti ,has faced mission Futura,200 days in the space .Samantha is first italian female astronaut. There is'hope.

Spyridoula Karanatsiou, Greece

2017-04-17 14:46:54 UTC

Nowadays in Greece the gender stereotypes still exists, not as much as it was 15 years ago, but there's still here. Educators who involve STEM activities in their classroom try to change this issue and I think that it works.

Rebeca, Spain

rbkvica — 2017-04-17 15:07:14 UTC

Nowadays there are women taking part on STEM degrees, but the truth is that in those classes there are 100boys and just 5girls, which by the way it is nice because 20years ago there were no women. So this es changing little by little but this change should be implemented since childhood.

Gema Rollán, Spain

gema_rolgal — 2017-04-17 15:34:25 UTC

The truth is that there are few females students who are really interested in any Stem areas. The competitivity is so high and whe you are female it seems that females effort has to be huge. When you see the CEO from each company, no matter which one. Most of them are male, so it is dissapointed at all.
Not any female is willing to make a sacrificed career.

Elisabetta

classedieli — 2017-04-17 15:52:50 UTC

Nel mio paese l'insegnamento della scuola dell'infanzia e primaria è affidato prevalentemente alle donne, nel campo della scienza e della tecnologia nel corso degli ultimi anni, il divario di genere si è attenuato ma persiste la preferenza di molte donne di dedicarsi all'insegnamento.

Jan, Czech Republic

preclik — 2017-04-17 16:01:19 UTC

In my country, the gender gap in STEM definitely exists. In my lower secondary courses of robotics, there is about 40% of girls, and they are as successful as boys are. In higher secondary classes, the interest of girls for STEM subjects is decreasing, I think because of the pressure of the stereotypes...

Juan Pablo, Spain

2017-04-17 16:43:12 UTC

In my country, the gender gap in education is not very high. In fact, in my classroom there are lots of girls who love Sciences and there is a big part of them who wants to study STEM careers. I think that this is a problem of education, just because a good chemist, physic, mathematic, etc can be a man or a woman.

Passos, Helena Portugal

helenamariapassos — 2017-04-17 16:46:53 UTC

I completely understand the issue with stereotypes. Fortunately, where I live, society is changing. I still remember when I got my degree in Physics and I was considered the dumb one, as I was the only female in class. The problem that I still see is the companies. They do not trust we are able to do a men's work and make us work twice as hard to prove ourselves and we are still underpaid.

Nevenka, Croatia

nena_web20 — 2017-04-17 17:00:47 UTC

Yes, there is gender gap in STEM in my country and I feel that there is even bigger gap today then there was 20 years ago.
In primary school, girls are capable to achive equal results as boys, but they lack selfesteem and are afraid to "think outside the box".
I still remember my mothers words: "That's great job for a woman." And 25 years latter, I'm still angry about that ;)

Paula Madeira, Portugal

9c — 2017-04-17 17:02:06 UTC

In Portugal, school dropouts are predominantly male phenomena and alter the proportion of boys and girls attending each of the schooling cycles. This fact results in a predominantly female secondary education and a university education that continues this trend. However in the STEM areas, this reality changes because culturally many of the STEM professions, for example, engineering, continue to be culturally associated with the masculine gender. In the labor market, equality has not yet been achieved and women have lower salaries, although we have already progressed, but progress has been slow, for example, the presence of female members on the board of companies was only 7% (2012). The technological sectors are still dominated by men

Erki, Estonia

2017-04-17 17:55:23 UTC

Yes, there is a gender gap. Mainly it is connected to the parents attitude (that's my personal opinion), which is passsed from generation by generation . It is pretty much in deep beliefs: men jobs and women jobs and that's it. All what Debbie Sterling said is coherent to the situation in Estonia.

Antonella, Italy

atlantac — 2017-04-17 18:02:14 UTC

There are female students in the secondary school interested in STEM areas depending on the type of school. In technical schools there are classes with more male students, in some chemical-biological institutes there are more female interested in scientific career. The gender gap is greater in the fielf of work and in research career where in Italy there are few places avalaible and the women are penalized. Furthemore the women have serious difficulties to climb the career ladder and there is a lot of competition in the work market.

Ausra, Lithuania

rastdarbai — 2017-04-17 18:20:20 UTC

Unfortunately, there is the gender gap in STEM in Lithuania too. Girls should take up the careers in "girls'" jobs, and boys can do the boys' work. It comes from our elder generation, traditions, culture. But nowadays it's becoming not so strict because we have great women engineers, managers, directors. Of course, there's a lack of STEM career programs at schools....

Renata, Croatia

2017-04-17 18:35:20 UTC

In my country there are more men in every STEM area. My female students are interested in STEM careers.
There are not so many women in research careers, but the ones that are, are very successful.

HULYA BAL - TURKEY

tfurkan61aydin — 2017-04-17 19:29:20 UTC

There are STEM projects for girls in Turkey.
Aziz Sancar GIS Project: Girls In STEM
This project aims:
Being able to attract the attention of girls to STEM education from early ages.
To help integrate Syrian refugee girls into Turkish society and to raise awareness at the point where they can continue their education. http://gisproject.org/gis-project-hakkinda/
There is gender equality in STEM projects in our country.Canan Dağdeviren, Turkish physics engineer, was elected as a Young Academy member of Harvard University.

Zeynep Merve OSKAY,Turkıe

2017-04-17 20:22:15 UTC

In Turkıe , Aziz Sancar GIS Project Girls in STEM is for girls.
Canan Dağdeviren, Neva Çiftçioğlu are the scientic people

Alessia, Italy

alessia_bartolucci75 — 2017-04-17 22:04:35 UTC

In Primary School the majority of teachers are female, in the secondary school the situation changes a bit. In engineering and computer fields women's participation is limited.

Clarisse, Malta

clarisse_frendo — 2017-04-18 06:09:28 UTC

I believe that despite the fact that a lot of effort is being done in order to challenge gender stereotypes, more work is required to change the general cultural. Every individual needs to work in order to reduce this gender gap by changing his/ her ideas and attitudes and setting a good example for young children to follow.

M. Elif Dönertaş, Turkey

e_yavas7 — 2017-04-18 06:40:06 UTC

I am a physicist. I was of the 4 women in class during my undergraduate years. It even got worse during masters... We, women, have to hold on and trust ourselves..I graduated as the best student in physics department (undergrad.) and had a successful masters thesis. It is a thorny road.. We face more challenges than men in a field which all by itself is a challenge, true.. BUT we can do it. We need to change the "Gender Stereotypes"... Just because something was does not have to be what something is.. in the future.. We should have the insight to change the future. Today I am a STEM teacher and I have girl students who are very good @ legos and solving engineering problems I assign them. I am hopeful for the future.a

Paolo, Italy

2017-04-18 07:46:27 UTC

The number of famale students that are interested in scientific fields that I know is very low. But the number of woman that after studying are unemployed is hight. This is the true.

Maria, Romania

prof_mm2010 — 2017-04-18 08:38:44 UTC

There is the gender gap in STEM in Romania too. But nowadays we have great women engineers, managers, directors. Of course, there's a lack of STEM career programs at schools...but using some interesting projects can captivate their attention and curiosity.

Sonia, Spain

2017-04-18 08:56:36 UTC

Girls could be in their lives all They want, we have the challenge in ours hands, we could make the next generation of girls more selfconfident as they can work in the field they want and change the stereotypes.

Konstantinos, Greece

kkarampelas — 2017-04-18 09:07:46 UTC

In my classroom, of primary students, I am confident that there are no differences in attitudes towards STEM classes, between boys and girls. In fact, differences I might have noticed in previous classrooms, are not certainly attributable to gender issues.

Costantina, Italy

c_tina — 2017-04-18 09:25:16 UTC

There is the gender gap in STEM in Italy too. But there are great women engineers, managers, Italian That Work in the best research centers in the world .. Today there's a STEM career programs at schools teacher Because interesting to improving maternal school. I think it Necessary change the politics. In Italy it is the most important problem Because They are evil and not very prepared.
In recent years they graduated many women engineers, physicists and chemists but it is almost impossible to find work. They have been successful in more prepared and modern countries that accept women engineers who are also mothers.

Amelia De Chiara, Italy

amelia_dechiara — 2017-04-18 09:36:02 UTC

I've experienced the gender gap in STEM: when I began to study engineering, we were only 5 women in a class full of men. Year by year, the female students' number is a little increased. Now I'm a teacher and I try to make all my students, girls and boys, interested in STEM. A few months ago, a group of female students said me: "Teacher, we love technology, which kind of school should we attend to continue study it?". I was really happy because I felt like I've contributed to reduce that gap.

David, Spain

david_galiana — 2017-04-18 09:45:58 UTC

I think nowadays there's no gender gap at secondary level. In fact, women are generally better students than their male peers. I feel the gap is going the opposite way. In ten years we'll see far more female graduates in STEM careers than male ones.

Cheryl-Ann Mamo, Malta

mamo_cherylann02 — 2017-04-18 10:47:18 UTC

I do not so far feel that there is a division between males and females locally. There are many females who are interested in STEM areas and there are also a number of females who study and/or work in the scientific field in Malta. The main issues, from the way I see it and experienced it, is that the financial aspect limits people in this country unless you come from a rich family because otherwise the possibility of pursuing one studies become harder.

Marija, Serbia

marijamikic — 2017-04-18 11:16:15 UTC

Yes there is a gender gap in my country. The main reasons are stereotypes, traditional behaviour,... Look at us! We are mostly women and we are teachers. What a good job for a woman!

Jorge B. Spain

2017-04-18 11:21:42 UTC

Yes, I have female students interested in STEM careers but they are a minority. Only a third of my students are female. But I have to say that they are the best students.

Giulia Italy :

2017-04-18 11:38:54 UTC

I'm going to say something that frequently happens in Italy .I'm sure that all the women has been good scientists or they were working on research before to choose the teaching carriers in ita

Yalçın, Turkey

myalcingungor — 2017-04-18 12:03:44 UTC

I agree that this difference is cultural. I have a robot team at school and the team is usually consist of male students because the girls in the school are not interested in robotic or technology. I know most of girls have never had such an experience before. As given in the toy example above. We as teacher encourge and expose girls to gain experience in STEM subjects.

Ezgi Ulutan, Turkey

2017-04-18 12:05:38 UTC

There is a gender gap in my country. Most of the female students do not interested in STEM but minority group of female students are very intellegent students who interested in STEM. I think the female students should be motivated more in order to take out this differences although cultural differences, steteotypes.

Teresa Capano, Italy

2017-04-18 12:35:10 UTC

Only 5% of Italian girls 15 years dream of a career in science, and girls who choose stem disciplines are much less numerous than boys. In my country, in elementary school performance of girls are better than those of boys, even in mathematics and physics. But often the girls adapt to what is inculcated from their 'environment, limiting their choice

Donatella, Rome

scuolaprimariade — 2017-04-18 13:20:09 UTC

In my country female students interested in stem areas and women in research careers are minority.
The gender gap is very high.
I think that this is a cultural problem.

Despoina Amarantidou, Greece

damarant — 2017-04-18 13:22:17 UTC

Stereotypes have been changing but there is gender gap. Anyway, a great number of female students is interested in STEM and they are doing well.

Rossella, Italy

2017-04-18 14:15:05 UTC

In italy like in the world the gender gap is very high.
In my class i looked when I prepared contest with tinkering I looked that the interest was the same for men and women.
Many female students have been intersted in STEM.

Isabel, Spain

misjih — 2017-04-18 14:19:27 UTC

I think there is a gender gap in stem in my country. In my classroom, there are more male students than female ones. Maybe, one of the reasons is education, but one much more important is that in some post of jobs people prefer male than female people. When I finished my degree I realized that it would be impossible to obtain a job in the industry and the reason was that I was a woman. Boys with fewer grades could get better jobs. Fortunately, I think this is changing, but we need more changes and quicker to get gender equality.

Zulmira, Portugal

zulmiramag — 2017-04-18 15:04:29 UTC

I am a Maths teacher and in college, we were a lot more girls in the math course than boys. In my classes, in general, I have more girls than boys getting good results. I think girls, being smart are also more applied, and so they get better rankings. Girls prefer to take courses in Medicine, Veterinary, Nursing, ... than Engineering which is a "men's" area. But for those who do not know, the Portuguese scientist Elvira Fortunato was awarded the Czochralski 2017 prize for her invention of the "paper transistor".

Anna, Italy

2017-04-18 15:09:07 UTC

I looked the statistics for 2012 published by Social Watch, an association monitoring poverty eradication and gender justice. Based on their Gender Equality Index, my country offers equal access to education for both genders. Differently, italian women experience a strong gender gap in terms of economical income and access to power positions. To check out statistics for your country, please go to the following link: http://www.socialwatch.org/node/14367

Rosa/ Italy

2017-04-18 15:23:38 UTC

Throughout history, women have actively contributed to the development of scientific knowledge and have made groundbreaking discoveries in science. However, too many of them have not been given credit for their achievements, resulting in their disappearance from mainstream audiences.

Bojana, Macedonia

boenov — 2017-04-18 16:06:40 UTC

In my country there are more men in every STEM area, perhaps because men have more time to devote to their work .When I was studying science (chemistry and biology ) I had very good professors who were female.
Women tend to have a harder time finding female mentors in STEM occupations. A more experienced employee can show you the ropes and promote your accomplishments. This is important for anyone in any career. It is especially important for women in STEM, because they are often less likely than their male coworkers to promote themselves.

Marta, Spain

2017-04-18 16:23:47 UTC

In my area, North of Spain, girls have better marks in all the subjects, but they are interesting in Medicine, Nursing or Veterinary: it is not very common find girls with real interest in Physic or Maths.
Of course my country offers equal access to education for both genders, but at the end of Secondary Level we have more boys than girls in the classrooms.
Perhaps it could be caused because employers prefer women in some areas and men in other different situations.
So I confirm the gender gap in my school: we have a cultural problem.

Héctor, Spain

2017-04-18 16:31:44 UTC

In spain there is a big gender gap. My female students are often interested in STEM subjects.I think there are less female students in STEM careers.

Monica R., Italy

2017-04-18 16:51:57 UTC

I know a lot of girls studying in scientific courses at hight schools with good results and after we can see the same thing at university,too. The problem appears when these girls go into the world job : lower salary, less prospects of career and the terrible need of choosing between family and work. In Italy we need to change the male culture and to think how to improve a welfare State in a way that helps women to spend their skills in good jobs without going abroad.

Maia. Moldova

informatica_salcuta — 2017-04-18 17:32:11 UTC

In the field of science and high technology the gender gap has decreased. In my country, Мoldova, the gender gap in STEM definitely exists.

Most people have well entrenched stereotypes when they think of people in STEM careers

In higher lyceum classes, the interest of girls for STEM subjects is decreasing, I think because of the pressure of the stereotypes

Michela, Italy

2017-04-18 18:21:40 UTC

There is still a distrust of the masculine gender to career women. Sometimes women feel in the minority or inadequately paid and gratified. Other times abandon the career to devote himself to the family because it still anchored to a social status. The school should convey an "advertising" positively to stimulate the girls face a long journey that would gratify and satisfy.

Cigdem Alvan, Turkey

2017-04-18 18:25:06 UTC

In some parts of my country, girls are not allowed to go to the school... They are getting married at the age of 10...

Christina L., Greece

crest_lou — 2017-04-18 18:33:21 UTC

I don't think there is a big gender gap in STEM careers but there are a lot of stereotypes that many traditional families pass to their children. Equality exists in every education level. Girls are interested in STEM areas but usually express low self confidence. Teachers can make them overcome!

Anamaria, Romania

2017-04-18 18:44:15 UTC

Yes, my students are interested in STEM areas but only one third of the researchers are women.

Iva G., Croatia

iva_golec — 2017-04-18 19:20:15 UTC

Since I'm a graduate computer scientist, I can for sure say that in Croatia there is a large gender gap in IT fields (but I bealive that in other STEM fields is the similar situation). I think main problems are still stereotypes and prejudices. Most of companies believe that it is better to employ a young male computer scientists than woman computer scientist because it is assumed that the woman will in short time marry and begin to give birth(s) and thus she will be absent from her job one to three years. Another problem is the salary. On average, male computer scientists are better paid than women. Also, male computer scientists generally get better positions. I think all this is a reason Croatian girls are still rather pick other non-STEM and non-IT careers.

Maria Pia,Italy

marandolamariapia — 2017-04-18 20:01:22 UTC

To discourage the continuation of some careers are neither a lack of interest, or the lack of ability, but many factors, especially socio-cultural. The idea that the STEM are more appropriate for men is deeply rooted in both the girls, who then are discouraged from pursuing these roads, which by the boys, who tend to create these dynamic environments sexist daunting, such as isolation of the few girls present , the lack of consideration of their opinion and poor support

Sofía, Spain.

2017-04-18 21:45:01 UTC

In Spain, there is an outstanding female presence in the university education in traditionally male areas, but the relative percentage of women who finish their university studies is higher than those who enrol, which indicates that the university drop-out rate is higher among men.

http://www.idi.mineco.gob.es/stfls/MICINN/Ministerio/FICHEROS/UMYC/WhitePaper_Interactive.pdf

Rosa Medeiros, Portugal

rosa_medeiros1 — 2017-04-18 23:10:06 UTC

I think the interest of girls is similar to that of boys, and their performance is often superior. The problem lies in the prejudice of society giving less opportunity. The social roles reduce the availability of time to devote to leadership. But it is not the real problem... How do you explain that women are the ones , over the centuries, who have always cooked and kept the cooking secrets and there are more male chefs than female chefs?

Felicia, Romania

2017-04-19 03:45:56 UTC

Angeliki Kougiourouki, Greece

akougiou — 2017-04-19 06:29:01 UTC

Women in Greece try lately to conquer male poisitions in STEM career and I think they manage to do it very well despite the stereotypes about gender. As for my students I can remember a lot of them studying in STEM fields and of course the thoughts of one who lately, during an activity about creatives glasses and how do they imagine their future job, said: "I would like to be the first woman to land to the moon, an astronaut, but I am too short and of course I am a girl. Do you know a lot of girls, who could do this?"

Monica, Italy

2017-04-19 06:39:45 UTC

In Italy, Miur has launched a number of initiatives in the framework of the implementation strategy of paragraph 16 of the law 107 and the promotion of equal opportunities to counter gender stereotypes.

"Stem Month" is one of the initiatives launched by the Ministry of Education, University and Research, in collaboration with the Department of Equal Opportunities of the Presidency of the Council, born with the aim of promoting STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) in schools of every order and degree.

In fact, one of the stereotypes that exist within the training system is that of a presumed poor attitude towards STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) disciplines leading to a gender gap in these areas both within the course of studies and in First and professional orientation choices then.

In Italy, the proportion of women occupying technical and scientific positions is among the lowest in the country: 31.71% versus 68.9% of men and only 5% of Italian fifteen years aspire to undertake technical or scientific professions (data OECD, Istat and Eurostat).

Julián Garrido - Spain

jgarridomartin — 2017-04-19 09:37:04 UTC

In my particular case I have much more female students in my classes than males and I feel them working much more better, eliminating the gender gap.

Aušra, Lithuania

2017-04-19 11:32:55 UTC

There is such a tendency that STEM subjects mostly prefer guys.

Carlos (Spain)

biogeo1617 — 2017-04-19 11:47:44 UTC

Although STEM as a whole may not have a gender bias, inside STEM unfortunately there are real differences. Inside students willing to study health studies motivation looks to be equal, while engineering suffers from an important male component.

Mariano, Spain

mariano_medgom — 2017-04-19 11:52:53 UTC

I think our culture do not encourage girls to choose STEM careers. In my classroom at University (Computer Engineering) we were about 85%-15% males-females, and unfortunately I don’t think situation has changed in the last years.

As teachers, we should be conscious of this reality and make our best to reduce the gender gap in STEM careers, but it’s a cultural issue, every society statement should make efforts in this direction.

Radu, Romania

raduprisacaru — 2017-04-19 13:42:54 UTC

Women in Romania are still under-represented in careers in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics

Alessia, Italy

2017-04-19 13:49:30 UTC

During the last ten years more female are interested in STEM areas, however the percentage of woman in research careers or leader position is very low. My female students are interested in STEM areas but mainly in the healthcare or medical sector.

In Italy there really is a gap between girls and boys in STEM careers. Just a little girls decide to study engeneering. On the other hand already at secondary school boys' average performance in maths is better then that of girls.

2017-04-19 14:45:39 UTC

Loli Hernández, Spain

2017-04-19 14:48:10 UTC

Not many of my female students are interested in STEM areas. I think in Spain there is a gender gap in STEM although nowadays there are more women in research careers than some years ago. We, as teachers, should lead them to the STEM careers.

Josefa G., Spain

jguarner — 2017-04-19 14:48:23 UTC

There is a really gap between girls and boys in STEM careers in my country, too. I encourage girls to do STEM activities and enjoy them.

Germelina, Spain

2017-04-19 15:00:54 UTC

My female students are not truly interested on STEM carreers. So, we can say that it exits a gender gap in Spain.
In research careers, each time, there are more women, however it is not the same or similar number.

Maria Grazia G. (Italy)

mariagrazia_caltanissetta — 2017-04-19 15:04:05 UTC

STEM is preferably aimed at males, but it is increasing the tendency for girls.

Ariana-Stanca Vacaretu, Romania

ariana_vacaretu — 2017-04-19 15:23:14 UTC

I teach high-school students (natural sciences specialization). In these classes, out of 30-32 students, only 4-6 students are boys. After graduating the high-school, students mostly take STEM careers (and medicine). However, even if girls choose STEM carriers in Romania, there are few who advance in their career (if they graduate IT, they have big chances to get a 'tester' job) - only in chemistry and biology women are pretty well represented.

Ivan, Italy

perlanio — 2017-04-19 16:18:09 UTC

In recent years I have noticed a large percentage of women who have been or still are interested in the study of engineering, mathematics and science subjects. the most populated sector remains, in my opinion the health and medical / scientific. However, there are good conditions for increasing the other sectors through a specific training obtained by a cutting-edge school preparation.

Anita, Croatia

anita_simac — 2017-04-19 16:29:23 UTC

The situation in STEM careers and inequalities is changing and women are being encouraged to study STEM subjects, however I believe their is a long way to go before equality will truly exist in the job market.

Rosario Sorriguieta, Spain

mrsorriguieta — 2017-04-19 16:38:20 UTC

I grew up with two brothers, so I played with construction games like "mecano". I have very good skills in 3D visión. Thanks, Debby for your work...
On the other hand, I think that the gender gap is more present in the market job than in schools. Companies should be more interested on reconciling family and work for men and women because that, it's not a women problem ...

Francesca Lauta, Italy

francesca_lauta — 2017-04-19 17:16:41 UTC

The gap between the number of men and of women working in STEM fields is concerning. STEM subjects are felt as being more typical male than female. I think teachers and parents can help girls become interested in STEM subjects if they act very early when girls are young. We should help girls develop STEM skills both at school and at home since they are very young.

IvanaN, Croatia

nenadic_ivana007 — 2017-04-19 18:09:02 UTC

I see a big improvement in my country. Many women are deciding these days to pursue STEM careers. However, they are still a minority.

MariCruz Nieto, Spain

2017-04-19 18:17:57 UTC

There is a gap between men and women interested in STEM careers in Spain. We can observe this gap at a very early stages of education. Therefore we must try to reduce that as teachers.

MA

2017-04-19 18:18:00 UTC

REUBEN, Spain

RUBS — 2017-04-19 18:26:01 UTC

I still remember when at my last year of secondary education I chose the STEM oriented class, we were 28 in all, and there was only one girl. Nowadays, when I ask my students about their future careers the majority of girls don't think about anything related with maths, science or engineering, even if those girls are really skilled at maths they see themselves performing some other jobs. The gender gap in STEM exists, but of course has nothing to do with natural talent or capacity; it is something cultural that we, as teachers, have to start changing.

Diana, Italy

2017-04-19 19:41:36 UTC

The second video is very interesting and representetive of the situation in mycountry. Female students are interested in some STEM areas, such as chemistry, ora è in maths, physics and engineering.

Sonia, Italy

2017-04-19 21:03:20 UTC

In my classroom, female sudent are interested in STEM subject, but in the rest of my country id different.

Susana, Spain

sosososana — 2017-04-20 09:38:07 UTC

There is a really gender gap in STEM in Spain, my country. You only have to see the hospitals and schools. Nurseries and teachers, the majority are women. But, on the other hand, the high positions are occupied by men. My female students are not interest in STEM areas but I hope a change. Fortunately, nowadays there are more women in research careers but it is not enough.

James, Ireland

jthompsonscr — 2017-04-20 10:35:20 UTC

In Ireland, there is a big promotion of women in engineering. However, it will take time until the gender gap is properly addressed. I teach in an All Girl's school. So it is a key goal of mine to have my students see that they can pursue a STEM career in what are traditionally seen as male jobs.
However, stereotypes will take a long time to break down.

Marco, Italy

2017-04-20 11:07:15 UTC

in my classrooms (middle school) i have a small number (1 or 2) girls that would start a STEM career. at this age them interests are not precisely outlined.

Benedetta, Italy

2017-04-20 13:31:45 UTC

During my universitary studies, I saw a lot of women workink on STEM carreers.
So I hope this could continue with the new generations

Marta, Zamora, Spain

ikutram — 2017-04-20 16:15:20 UTC

The esteretypes are also present in my classrooms: most of the boys prefer engineering studies, and most of the girls helathcare studies

Clara Sousa, Portugal

2017-04-20 17:39:51 UTC

In my classroom I have more girls than boys, but very few girls interested in STEM careers. In my country maintains the leadership gap, engineering, math for men, and teachers, nurses to girls

However I have a girl in my classroom with great imagination and creative ability that I hope to come to follow engineering.

Alanna, Spain

alanna_es — 2017-04-20 21:40:19 UTC

I had lots of problems when I was young to get a responsability job, all the vacancies were given to my male colleagues, for totally cultural reasons. My skills, my qualifications were equiparable to them, but the perception of leadership was totally cultural. A man could do it better. Actually I am an entrepreneur that believe firmly in the gender equality and I will do my best to encourage girls to STEM careers. Many teachers now, in Spain, have it clear too, and the games and the tools are changing to foster building and construction activities even for little girls. At the primary classroom doesn't exists learning gender differences. But I don't know what happens when girls arrive to secundary.

Grażyna, Poland

sp171wesola — 2017-04-20 21:52:49 UTC

In my country there is a great difference between careers pursued by boys and girls which is reflected in a situation of women in STEM areas. I had a look at the chart presented by research about university students. There are more women in the engineering and IT but generally humanist branches, economy, law and health, are their chioces.

Gökhan, Turkey

gokanhoca — 2017-04-20 22:22:47 UTC

I think we're starting to pull things off. I am a teacher of information technology and I have software engineers and web designers from my undergraduate students.
However, these rates need to be increased further.

Anaely, Mexico.

anaelypb — 2017-04-21 05:16:04 UTC

I attach a graphic with the female (M, red) versus male (H, blue) researchers at the National System of Researchers (SNI) at Mexico (data from 2015). The data speaks by itself. Yes, we still have a gender gap in Mexico, but I am glad that some people are taking it seriously and are working to make it vanish. In my case, I give private lessons of Math and Physics and I found that almost all my students are girls. If I venture to draw conclusions maybe its the result of the mix of different things like cultural ideas, gender stereotypes and the poor education system.

Lana, Croatia

2017-04-21 08:23:11 UTC

My female students are not as interested in STEM careers as the boys are. Actually, they are up to a point where some skills that are more associated with men then women start to be the most important. At that point, most of the girls just drift away from STEM. Not all of them but most do. In Croatia women dominte in medicine but not engieering nor ICT. Especially if you are a girly girl plus you`re good in STEM field - you are a threat. That`s just the way it is in Croatia. We are far off but hopefully we`ll do better as a society.

Jose, Spain

jbadenes — 2017-04-21 10:12:28 UTC

Marina, Italy

2017-04-21 13:59:50 UTC

In Myanmar scientific high scho

Ana, Spain

annargarcia — 2017-04-21 14:07:16 UTC

In Spain, most girls are not interested in STEM careers. I have been teaching in Secondary Education for 8 years, and most girls decide to study degrees dealing with eduaction or social services. I really agree with Debbie Sterling, I find the previous video really motivating, because our society teaches boys and girls some stereotypes which are not really true. We as teachers should promote that gender must not be decisive for choosing a degree in the future

M

2017-04-21 14:09:57 UTC

Marina, Italy

2017-04-21 14:09:57 UTC

In my scientific high school female students are interesting Stem topics and STEM careers In my country there are researchers woman in some topics as health.

Christina Papadopoulou,Greece

christi_pa — 2017-04-21 14:23:28 UTC

In my country there are women in research careers in a percentage between 35-45% while the corresponding EU figure is 33.1%. In line with the latest surveys in 2014 “the gender gap in STEM” in your country is between 30-45%. So I think that girls are interested STEM areas but the Greek educational system should direct them most properly with purpose they can use their studies at a professional level.

Jasenka, Croatia

2017-04-21 14:32:13 UTC

Since I work in rural part of Croatia my female students aren't much interested in STEM areas. In this part of country there is a lot of stereotypes of what should men and women do. It's really hard for people, especially females to break out of those stereotypes. In Croatia there is a small number of women with research careers, majority of those places are still held by men and it's really hard for women to break through.

Vasiliki Psaridou/Greece

psaridou — 2017-04-21 15:11:16 UTC

In Greece it usually depends on whether you live in the country or in the town. Girls that live in towns have more information and better chances to follow a STEM career. Girls living in villages are more likely not to follow a STEM career but a career according to "their gender" and that is a teacher, a secretary or something like that.

Ivanka, Croatia

2017-04-21 17:57:00 UTC

There are women's knowledge, but a man has far more. There are a lot of students in my class who are interested in the technical area. With them I went to competitions and it was great.

Maria Grazia Prestigiacomo

maryprestigiacomo — 2017-04-21 19:20:52 UTC

Palermo,Italy
Despite the fact that many steps have been taken, there are still stereotypes that do not imply scientific careers for women. We, as teachers, can represent change if we can change the stereotyped notions of boys and girls capabilities, interests and self-confidence, and if we are able to foster the awareness of STEM careers. In my country I think something is changing and even MIUR is activating to promote STEM careers. Research is the place where the growth of the female presence has marked the biggest increase, with about half of the seats available to women. Right now in the museum of science in Milan is taking place a photo exhibition entitled "Space girl space women" That together with the #STEMintheCity event wants to promote sensitivity to gender inclusion in STEM through original activities and forms, in collaboration with industry, research and school, and support STEM careers for girls.

Domenico, Italy

d_dicarolo — 2017-04-21 20:54:59 UTC

In my school, an industrial technical institute, there are: mechanical specialization; computer specialization; electrical engineering specialization.
There are very few female students.
In my country increasingly female students and researches are interesting in STEM careers like chemistry and engineering.
My daughter actually studies electronic engineering.

Javier Manzano, Spain

1fjmanzano — 2017-04-22 05:31:06 UTC

In my school, I observe that most of the teachers are women (almost 65%) in all areas. And I think that´s a reality among all the country. That´s a good example for the girls.

Elisa - Italy

2017-04-22 13:43:15 UTC

In Italy there aren't a lot of women in research careers. Those who decide to study Maths or Physics, usually leave the academic studies and start teaching at school. We have very important faculty of Physics such as the "Scuola Normale" of Pisa without female students. It's a pity. We have to change this mentality!

Mary, Italy

mariapia_borghesan — 2017-04-22 13:56:18 UTC

There aren't many women researchers in Italy. Stem careers are " men carrers".
But in my classroom I'll do my best to try to change this situation, and even in my family and with my friend! I show them that a STEM careers is both for men and women!

Luigi, Italia

lferrari1 — 2017-04-22 14:15:27 UTC

In my school, a technical institute, there are: computer science specialization and electronic engineering specialization.
There are very few female students, but often they are the most interested and achieve best results.

Iwona, Poland

iwona_inka — 2017-04-22 14:19:11 UTC

I am affraid stereotypes rule also in Poland. Girls and their parents think about "little princess", but boys can be anything they want. It is enough to see what our students bring to school. My son is already an engineer (information technology) and there was only 3 women on his group!

David González, Spain

2017-04-22 14:36:31 UTC

In my country, Spain, girls prefer studing other different carreers to studing Stem careers.

Sertan BALLI,Turkey

darknatres — 2017-04-22 17:22:09 UTC

In my country, girls are oriented some jobs like nursing, teaching, medicine. parents do not want their daughter be an engineer. because of the difficult conditions, working overtime. Even though they are good in STEM they don't want them to be a part of the STEM careers.

Helena, Portugal

2017-04-22 22:35:15 UTC

Julio, Spain

2017-04-22 23:31:39 UTC

The presence of women in STEM careers is increasing. In my opinion, the tendency is to reach homogeneous levels between the two genders.

Monica, Italy

2017-04-23 07:14:30 UTC

In my country girls usually prefer "caregiving" jobs (vet, primary teacher).I think it's a stereotype that parents want to preserve beacuse in our society there is yet the idea of woman= mother and housewife. It's sad but it's true.

maryladb — 2017-04-23 08:12:16 UTC

Laura Gasque, Spain

laugasal — 2017-04-23 08:23:41 UTC

I absolutely agree with everything above (I have very much loved the second video clip).
What I can say, from my daily experience, is what I have in my classes. In my school there are very few girls taking the option "Physics + Drawing" (this year, I have no girl in my Physics class). Girls usually choose Chemistry + Biology; obviously, they are not thinking about Engineering.

Miguel A, Spain

2017-04-23 11:09:41 UTC

A few year ago I studied a ingeneering master and I saw that there were as many men as women. Doesn't matter the gender

Ana C. Spain

2017-04-23 11:36:06 UTC

I studied Maths at the University. Equal number of female and male students. Nowadays , I think is the same.

Chantelle Bartolo Cremona

chantellecremona — 2017-04-23 13:45:10 UTC

In my school the boys scored a higher percentile than girls in the year 6 benchmark maths exams.

Gloria, Italy

drei — 2017-04-23 14:05:21 UTC

GenderGapInItaly: let's take a look

http://www.softrevolutionzine.org/2016/risorse-ragazze-nello-stem/

Vesna, SerbiaThere are women in STEM careers in my country, but it is low percent.The same situation is in research careers.

vesnica_hem — 2017-04-23 15:02:36 UTC

Jose Luis García, Spain

JLGD — 2017-04-23 15:03:44 UTC

My opinion is similar to Julio, Spain. The presence of women in STEM career is increasing. In my opinion,the tendency is to reach homogeneous levels between the two genders. The problem in Spain are the job opportunities.

Daniela, Italy

d_preda — 2017-04-23 15:18:00 UTC

In my classroom female students are very interested in STEM areas because they always work in the STEM area. Of course there are stylists and hairdressers but there are also many fenale student who want to follow STEM careers, In my country I think that now womans have many possibility in STEM careers and also the number of female students in STEM area at the university is increasing.
The second video is very very nice! Thank you!

Stefania Bertone, Italy

stefaniabertone — 2017-04-23 15:27:40 UTC

I am very happy we have come to this module.... it was time to speak about females in the males jobs. In my classrooms many times I see female students very smart and very suitable to become an engineering or a scientist or whatever they want. I think that in general female students are very fond of STEM careers, and they have to be encouraged much more then males because in our world there is still much prejudice against female careers especially to the top and most profitable jobs.

Leo, Spain

2017-04-23 17:28:35 UTC

I was teaching for twenty years a subject called Technology and some years we hadn´t any female student in the years previous to University. Now things are changing, now more than a 20 % of my students in these final years are girls. When I teach to youngers students I can see that stereotypes are changing, because their parents have developed a different point of view too.

Beatriz, Spain

2017-04-23 17:29:21 UTC

I think the number of girls interested in STEEM careers is increasing. Nevertheless women with a STEM degree are less likely than their male counterparts to work in a STEM occupation; they are more likely to work in education or healthcare I don´t know why but is a reality. I find the video amazing , very nice.

Barbara M., Italy

barbara_flipped — 2017-04-24 06:10:59 UTC

This year I teach children aged 6 and 7. None of the girls want to become scientist, etc... but rather a hair dresser, a dancer, etc..
They are young but it is still a sign of the force of stereotypes.

Antonella, Italy:

2017-04-24 06:42:40 UTC

In Italy we have the same problem: few women interested in STEM.
Perhaps he was right this girl, Debbie, who said that having not developed creative and rational skills as in games like Lego constructions, we became "inferior intellectually"? ...
I do not know ... but it's true that the percentage of women (including me) who is interested in this area is very low. Power! We start playing the little girls with the buildings !! :)

Serdar , Turkey

teksertuf — 2017-04-24 08:08:13 UTC

"Improving the access to and quality of STEM education for girls is the key to increasing equality and a competitive edge in one of the most important business sectors for the future."

JASON WINGARD

Ivana, Croatia

ivana_milasin — 2017-04-24 10:00:36 UTC

I have a feeling that in Croatia are less women interested in STEM careers, but those who are interested they finish colleges and they work in their field. My 2 sisters and I are one of them and because of that when people realize that fact they say something like: "Wow, you are really smart. How come you all got in men's job?" It's horrible.

Gamze Siper/ Turkey

gamzesiper — 2017-04-24 10:12:59 UTC

I can say there is equality for my students; even girls are more interested in STEM projects, activities and areas. Maybe it is about their ages. My students are 10-14 years old. In here there are STEM projects but the most important one that is linked with “girls in STEM” is “STEM for Disadvantaged Students Especially Girls” project.

Paqui, Spain

2017-04-24 10:41:17 UTC

In my school there are less students who want to study STEM careers each year and, especially less girls. In fact, I teach Technology and this year, I do not have any girls in my classes. They find STEM careers so hard. I try to animate them because I am a woman who studied Physics and I think boys and girls can do it but, every year, I feel they look for easier subjects, they want to pass the course without making a strong effort.

Monika, CRO

monika_lukavecki — 2017-04-24 12:52:59 UTC

statisticly,

percentage of women in STEM is horrible if you ask me. when I was study, in my group (physic and computer science) there were 5 woman only over more that 50 men. girl what doeosnt see, 
much harder understand and learn (my experience). as country, we don't do anything to talk about STEM career or 
encourage women to choose STEM :-(

josé manuel, Spain

josemila31 — 2017-04-24 12:59:30 UTC

In general they are more interested in boys than girls but the gap is damaged bachillerat

Bilgen Taş, TURKEY

bilgenoca — 2017-04-24 14:21:49 UTC

In my opinion girls should be supported for their participation in group activities and activities from early ages. In this regard, we have a lot of attitudes towards teachers.
My students at the STEM events that I have done in my class are as enthusiastic as my boys.

Enrica, Italy

enrica_pipitone — 2017-04-24 14:37:02 UTC

My female students rarely are interested in STEM area, a lot of them won't go to the College, and, if they will, will choose to become a nurse. There are very few women in STEM careers in Italy, expecially in Sicily.

Nuria, Spain

2017-04-24 14:43:03 UTC

My female students are clearly interested in STEM careers. They see them as the best options for their future.

António Gonçalves, Portugal

afgoncalves61 — 2017-04-24 16:10:22 UTC

In my country, till two decade earlier, more or less, women don't follow STEM careers, however, paradigm is changing now. Now we have more women than men in universities and superior institutes. The sudents in STEM courses are almost 1/4 of all students, but I don't know any data especifically about women choices, however women, traditionally they chose other fields of study.
Source:
http://www.pordata.pt/Portugal/Alunos+matriculados+no+ensino+superior+total+e+por+sexo-1048
http://www.pordata.pt/Portugal/Alunos+matriculados+no+ensino+superior+total+e+por+%C3%A1rea+de+educa%C3%A7%C3%A3o+e+forma%C3%A7%C3%A3o-1026

Cristina, Romania

cristina_zlate — 2017-04-24 16:38:57 UTC

In my opinion girls should be supported for their participation in group activities and activities from early ages.
Of course, there's a lack of STEM career programs at schools...but using some interesting projects can captivate their .
But nowadays we have great women engineers, managers, directors.

Maria, Spain

2017-04-24 18:57:09 UTC

In my opinion the number of girls interested in STEM carrers is increasing nowadays because of job opportunities.

Ivana, Czech Republic

2017-04-24 19:22:24 UTC

There are girls and boys that interested in STEM in my school. By finally there are more men in reaserch careers than woman.

Caterina R, Italia

2017-04-24 19:54:54 UTC

I teach in a scientific high school, so I can see that both boys and girls are interested in STEM.

Jolanta,Lithuania

2017-04-24 20:04:45 UTC

In my school there are less girls interested in Steam

CONCETTINA-ITALY

titti71_2005 — 2017-04-24 20:23:59 UTC

Vanda Serpa, Azores

vandaserpa — 2017-04-24 23:03:41 UTC

Portugal is showing rapid progress in improving baseline qualifications, including STEM education, according to OECD reports. However it still lags at upper secondary level (in comparison with other European Union countries), and has one of the lowest attainment rates for secondary education among 25-34 year-olds (52% compared with the OECD average of 82%; Portugal ranks 34 of 36 countries). When it comes to graduation rates, the situation is different. In 2010, the graduation rates exceeded 100% (the OECD average is 84%), and more than 40% of students were older than 25 (OECD, 2012). Moreover, Portugal is producing increasing numbers of STEM graduates: in 2008/09 they made up for 27% of the total number of graduate
The percentage of those unemployed with a higher education degree as compared to the total number of unemployment in Portugal is 8.6%8. When it comes to STEM degrees, it may be observed that those who have graduated from mathematics, statistics or informatics have a lower percentage of unemployment (0.6%, 8.3% and 1.2% respectively). Male unemployment in engineering and informatics is higher than females’ (70.4% and 64.2% respectively). Female unemployment is much higher in the areas of mathematics, statistics and sciences (70% for mathematics and statistics, 74.2% for life sciences and 64.5% for physics; see Table 5) when compared to male unemployment in the same areas. (Hugo Horta in STEM education in Portugal: Education, policies and labor market)

Francesca R.-Italy

2017-04-25 06:17:08 UTC

Sorry, probably I'm off topic, but I really would like to share these thoughts with you.....perhaps because I'm ignorant of the question posed

I’m a Mathematicians and when I studied at University we were mostly women, but if you would gone at the engineering department, there were really a few girls.

I had to decide if to go to study math or engineering (as my father suggested me), but at that time I couldn’t even imagine what engineers do….In my fantasy they only build houses (not even a bridge!), and this was too boring in my opinion. I was not informed and nobody helped me to understand. Now when I see all the opportunities I really envy young girls and boys who has so many possibility which now are better known (even if not so well)

It's really a hard work creating confidence in STEM in my female students. They come to me when they are 11 years old and lot of them are almost scared about Math (not so much in Science). usually I have to spent 1 complete year to try to make them understand that Math can be useful and funny

Lucia, Italy

lucia_dore — 2017-04-25 10:47:42 UTC

Surely in my country there is still a gender gap in STEM fields , but in these last years things are changing because, in my little experience, I’m constantly ascertaining that girls are more and more interested in science areas but they need to be encouraged in various aspects . As a matter of fact, I agree with studies that suggest many factors contribute to determine the attitudes towards STEM including interactions with teachers, lack of role models , salary differences , bias and discrimination. As a consequence, government is shyly promoting educational projects to generate interest and develop preparation, in general for STEM careers .Nevertheless there are not many women in research careers but the group is more capable than men.

Giovanna, Italy

g_maloccu — 2017-04-25 11:03:14 UTC

In my country there is still a gender gap because social and cultural factors. I’m graduate in mathematics and in my courses there was more men than women.

Krunoslav, Croatia

prof_stefanek — 2017-04-25 11:35:49 UTC

We have a lots of problem with the way people look at each other in many segments. But we' re also and highly fraternal society and it seems that after getting a degree there are many problems for women to be on any high position. Not just in STEM.

Francesca S., Italy

francescascaltro — 2017-04-25 13:07:22 UTC

There is still a gender gap. It is a cultural problem indeed. Not only in research, university but also in sports. I found incredible for instance that in dancing classes for small children (3 years old) there were only girls and no boys. Boys are expected to do other things as playing football. At school, even in "boys-courses" as mechanics there are only a few girls but they are usually smarter than boys and highly motivated. It is really important the role of the family in order to develop STEM interest in young girls.

Jose M, Spain

josem_vervel — 2017-04-25 14:54:40 UTC

In my country nowadays there is no gap if you consider all STEM careers together. It is true that IT engeneearing have more males than females, but in other STEM careers like Biotechnology there are more female students and Maths or Physics are quite balanced

I think there is a perception problem where many people extends the IT numbers to all STEM careers

Andrea

2017-04-25 16:38:10 UTC

In my country for example, we have a lot of female mathematicians, and less female physicists and engineer, but still more biologists.
I think that everybody should be addressed to STEM careers.
For sure women in STEM careers are less than men, but I think that the problem is a problem of perception, for example, by families, which continue to say to girls that such things like physics or engineering are "male thing

Alexandre Costa, Portugal

alexandrejcosta — 2017-04-25 17:48:59 UTC

In Portugal, gender equility in STEM is now almost complete though there are some careers in engeneering that women usually don't choose and men usually don't choose some careers like nursing.
In Universities we now have more girls than boys in graduate and post-graduate studies

Şefika Girgin, Turkey

2017-04-25 18:28:52 UTC

I study with 4th grade students who take STEM education in their schools and some of the girls said me that "I want to be an engineer". It was very exciting to hear this, because these girls are aware of what engineering is and how engineers work. So, before it was too late, students had the opportunity to get to know the professions thanks to STEM and they can shape their future in a more conscious way.

Lara, Italy

2017-04-25 19:36:14 UTC

I think in italy we have a lot of problem in Research careers and general gender inequality in most fields. Nevertheless, there are females interesting in stem career. I have found terribly true the leaky pipeline, because we need to compere how long the interest in those subject is counterbalanced by a real job in the future. Unfortunately, guys quite often think about concrete emplyment perspectives.

Judith, Spain

jvasco — 2017-04-25 20:00:19 UTC

Module 5.
5.1 Gender stereotypes
In my class girls have good marks in all the subjects, but they are interesting in careers related to healthcare occupations rather than in research or in business enterprises to Medicine, Nursing or Veterinary: it is not very common find girls with real interest in Physic or Maths. Of course my school offers equal access to education for both genders, but at the end of Secondary Level we have more boys than girls in the scientist and maths classrooms. Perhaps it could be caused because employers prefer women in some areas and men in other different situations, but from my point of view the gender gap and stereotypes in my school is a cultural problema that we need to be aware of solving through a better education.

Judith Smith Mifsud, Malta

judith_smith — 2017-04-25 20:08:18 UTC

Gender gap is a reality in Malta too....although I believe that major efforts are being made at secondary school levels to instill the belief that STEM careers are for all, I do believe that later on during their educational process, someone will talk girls down and they do not succeed to in print the STEM market as boys do. There is still a great level of sense of guilt and shame if you spend too much time focusing on your work and achievements and "ignoring" other "more important commitments such as family and raising kids". It hurts and feels so unfair but few girls fight it and fight stereotypical comments and attitudes...its a lonely experience for girls, unfortunately.

Juan Pablo, Spain

2017-04-25 20:31:19 UTC

I think that there is still a gener gap in STEM careers. Howeve, this gat is smaller than years ago. Every year I see more and more of my girls students choosing STEM careers.

Laura (Italy)

2017-04-26 14:10:14 UTC

An amazing story... I was so moved! I was a research fellow, there is a substantive gender equality at the university. However I left geologic practice in 2012 because financial crisis exacerbates gender inequalities. Someone once told me "it's messy on the site, and you might catch a cold".

Paola, Italy

paolapitto99 — 2017-04-26 16:28:00 UTC

In my class a lot of girls love stem but I think generally there is still a gender gap in stem careers. I'm an engineer and when I was at the university I was alone.

Iuliana, Romania

lili_ana_9 — 2017-04-26 18:32:56 UTC

In my country female students are interested in stem and research

Çağrışım, Turkey

2017-04-26 19:00:04 UTC

If we took the school I work the gender gap is not obvious. Some of my female students realise there is, some of them don't. In my nanotechnology club we talk about that and I observe that girls in the club are better organiser and constracter. They just need space and chance to try. Boys generally didind want to work much during the process. But girls stayed after the school so they can build their models .

Çelebi,

muallim3858 — 2017-04-26 20:03:49 UTC

There is the project "STEM for Girls", which is started by professor doctor Aziz SANCAR.

Sonia, Spain

sturrion — 2017-04-26 21:09:27 UTC

I think there is a gender gap in my country but less than some years ago. It's more and more common that girls choose STEM careers as Byotechnology, Maths or Physics.

Adriana Laze Albania

adrianalaze — 2017-04-27 10:27:45 UTC

Actually what I have noticed during my experience with my pupils is that girls are more interested then boys in Math , also some of them have studied and now are engineer . But another important factor here in Albania is about employment . Here in Albania there is not any developed industry , If she or he can study in engineering it is dificult to be employed after the University. Also there are many financial problems for their parents to follow their children to study abroad. I am one of them. My son is studying on engineering but he is not motivated to learn because of the programs that are so older. Also there are not more possibilities to have a good paid work. Last September he wanted to change the school even though we didn't let him.

Santi, Spain

2017-04-27 11:01:38 UTC

As a Biology teacher I find that girls are very interested in the subject. Many of them ask me for information about Medicine, Pharmacy, Enviroment related careers etc, not only for welfare purposes but also for research purposes. So I'd say that from my experience the gap gender acts the opposite way: girls are more interested than boys.

Esther Orts, Spain

2017-04-27 11:42:35 UTC

In my country a few years ago, there were few women who studied science careers. In my case, when I studied biology there were more boys than girls, but there are changing times and there are more and more university women in science and research careers. It is also seen in engineering as computer science where there are more and more girls and more teachers in these fields.

Lavinia, Italy

2017-04-27 15:43:36 UTC

Abilities in primary school are the same among males and females. Culturally, science-related work is considered male as it involves more flexibility, mobility, and sometimes physicality. Features that are not so close to the idea of woman, wife, mother in Italy

Nacho, Spain

2017-04-27 17:02:21 UTC

In my country, the gap between boys and girls studying a STEM areas is decreasing. What is certain is that in positions of command and high responsibility there are very few women. One of the most important reasons is the sexist society, and the strong presence of the Catholic Church in previous times.

Stefania Altieri (Italy)

stefaniaaltieri73 — 2017-04-27 19:21:22 UTC

STEM

Marika Betts

2017-04-27 19:43:35 UTC

In my country, the gap between boys and girls who are studying STEM subjects has decreased and is almost insignificant. Girls are given the same opportunities and infact, at tertiary level, girls' presence is quite high. I do think that more girls are interested in Biology and seek professionals related to the medical field more than they do to the engineering field. I think that with regards to the choice of option science subjects at secondary level, state schools in Malta still oblige students to learn Physics as a compulsory subject while private schools and Church schools offer either Physics, Chemistry or Biology as a compulsory subject for entrance to a Higher Level institution. In my opinion this is discrimonatory as students should choose which science subject they like to persue their studies.

Ivana, Catania

2017-04-28 07:32:19 UTC

Ivana, Catania

2017-04-28 07:32:19 UTC

I teach in a primary school and I can say that there isn't different about abilities of males and females, but there are only some stereotyped ideas.
Personally I know many woman that works in Stem carreers like engineer and so I think that the future is not close at this idea, it is only question of mentality and attitude.

Diana Szasz, Romania

dianaszasz — 2017-04-28 12:17:07 UTC

In my country, isn't a gender gap in STEM. Most of my former female students had choose a STEM careers and most of my present female students are very interested in STEM areas.

Irene, Italy

irene_rosato18 — 2017-04-28 14:42:03 UTC

I think that in my country , the gap between boys and girls studying STEM subjects is decreasing

Laura Poveda, Spain

2017-04-28 15:52:06 UTC

Of course there is a gap in STEM areas, but it seems to be smaller than in other countries... at least in engineering! In Spain women work in all areas, more and more every time. Sometimes it seems that there are more women than men. But we have a big gap in decission-making jobs, this is our main problem in my opinion.

Merit, Estonia

merit_luik14 — 2017-04-28 17:53:58 UTC

There is gender gap in STEM in Estonia, too. But I really hope, that it will going to change. The number of girls, who want to attent to our ICT and TECH strudy-branch is increasing every year. I am hopeful :)

Lagle, Estonia

lagle_sangernebo — 2017-04-29 03:11:43 UTC

I am degree PISA, Unesco study. More female is health care, bac. ja master degree ... but not so many engineering, mathematic and researcher. My pupils are few intresting computing or engineering and very small part is girls. Many stereotyps and very hard explain. But they know that engineering demands hard work

Silvia, Italy

2017-04-29 14:02:36 UTC

In my country the gap between male and female in STEM areas is decreasing

Maria,Italy

2017-04-29 15:09:09 UTC

I think there is still a lot to be done to fill the gap between man and woman in the STEM careers but definitely when a woman decides to embark on this path is far more determined in pursuing her goal

Diego, Spain

dnavarro3 — 2017-04-29 15:50:52 UTC

I think this gap is decreasing in Spain. I am glad to say that my best students in my Physics & Chemistry classes are almost women. I can also say that, although some of them continue to be interested in Health careers, as traditionally has been, some others are interested in Physics-related careers.

Helena, Portugal

2017-04-30 10:14:18 UTC

The “gender gap in STEM” in my country has been reducing in the last years. There are many female students in our universities, in STEM areas, however, there are some careers, for example, engineering, where men lead in higher number. We have many female scientists that, due to work conditions and opportunities to work in their areas, have to leave our country in search of better work conditions.

Maureen UK

2017-04-30 14:42:53 UTC

I have had experience of both mixed and single sex schools and have found that there was a marked difference. In the all girls school all subjects were open to all students and uptake in STEM subjects was good. However, in the mixed school the STEM subjects were mostly taken up with boys and the girls interested in these subjects were put off joining the class because they didn't want to be the only girl in a class of boys. In my present school girls are encouraged to take STEM subjects but are swayed by what their friends are doing, especially if they have no idea of their career path. Of those that go onto take STEM subjects at tertiary level, there is only a small number of girls taking physics, engineering, maths and IT. Most of the girls will opt to study medical or biological sciences. I'm not sure about the number of researchers in the UK that are female. On a personal note I have never felt that my gender has been a barrier to career progression.

Pilar, Spain

2017-04-30 15:01:45 UTC

From my personal and non professional point of view I think that labour market in Spain does not show such a big gender gap.
Nevertheless, society in general maybe is not used to find women in STEM areas to a certain extent.
My pupils are 10-12 years old and at this age girls seem to be more aware of their future preferences rather than boys (their maturity is at different level at this age). And girls tend to be potentially more appealed by chemistry or technical science than boys.
Sadly some parents need to change their oldfashioned values
But, as I mentioned before, I can only draw an opinion about children at this stage

2017-04-30 17:56:13 UTC

I'm not interested in Stem areas buy I know that the number of women interested in STEM careers is increasing nowadays.

Azucena Sánchez.

2017-04-30 18:06:33 UTC

In my country, at the moment, that gap is diminishing. There are already many women who are engaged in research and engineering. But we still have to keep moving forward.

Montse T., Barcelona

2017-04-30 18:31:41 UTC

In my country there are girls interested in STEM careers as boys are. I teach Chemistry at high school and as average 50% of my students are girls. The MAIN problem is that women do not obtain good positions at Companies or at Universities and research Centers.

Antonietta, Italy

aamore — 2017-04-30 19:46:10 UTC

In Italy there is an important gap beetween girls and boys interested in STEM, but a lot of work has been done and the gap is gradually decreasing. There are many initiatives to get girls engaged in science and technology such as summer camps for girls in STEM where through game based activities they learn maths and engineering (just as shown in the inspiring video by Debbie).

Carmela, Italia

2017-04-30 21:47:32 UTC

I think that gender is currently fading in my countriy, because more and more girls undertake scientific studies in the prespective of a job.

Francesca S. , Italy

francescascaltro — 2017-05-01 06:07:55 UTC

francescascaltro — 2017-05-01 06:09:19 UTC

francescascaltro — 2017-05-01 06:09:42 UTC

Fatih TOY / Turkey

mrtoy — 2017-05-01 07:49:37 UTC

As Debbie says in the video, the gap or equality matter whatever it is, is not necessarily relevant to biology, gender but it is up to how hard the individuals work. In addition to what Debbie says, it is more relevant to equal access to global and technologic opportunities. For example, I hold eTwinning projects with my 6 graders and my female students are mostly more eager to take part in most tasks especially those with technology integration into the projects. I think the information age in which we are now provides more opportunities to eradicate the gender stereotypes. It is just opening doors to our students.

Angela

2017-05-01 14:26:29 UTC

It is just a matter of education!

Tiziana ITALY

Tizianateacher — 2017-05-01 15:31:08 UTC

My students prefer humanities and girls are the ones who are facing difficulties in learning STEM subjects.
I would say that on the whole things are changing but we still need to support the teaching of science , technology and maths as girls risk losing opportunities.

Angela, Alicante

2017-05-01 15:40:00 UTC

Personally, I am not interested in a STEM area but I think (or I would like to believe) that nowadays more and more women are interested in research careers.

Laura, Spain.

2017-05-01 15:45:32 UTC

In my own experience, all my friends (girls), studied STEM careers related with engineering or medical sciences. Nowadays, as a teacher, in my class I have more students boys than girls (studies related with Food Industry).

Inma, Spain.

2017-05-01 15:58:46 UTC

When I studied engineering 30 years ago, there was a big gender gap, but nowadays there are many female students who prefer STEM studies in the high school and university than before. My female students are interested in the same fields than de male students.However, the gender gap is in the labour market where it is difficult to find women in decision-making jobs, not only in STEM careers.

Barbara, Italy

barbaradipa — 2017-05-01 22:31:22 UTC

"Dalla parte delle bambine" was written by E.G. Belotti in 1973. It's an essay about the influence of the education on genders. A lot has changed in my opinion, but a lot should still be changed. I can see that many girls love maths and science and ICT among students of 11-14, while 30 years ago it was quite unusual.
First of all parents and teachers should think of the kids' gifts and desires about their future. Then they should try to orientate them in relation to the availability of jobs.

Ana Franco, Portugal

ana_lufranco — 2017-05-01 23:18:52 UTC

In my country gender equality in STEM areas has been declining in recent years. University higher education is even dominated by women.

Lora Italy In my country the gap between male and female in STEM areas is decreasing but it’s still an uphill road. Many projects events and math competitions are proposed to all students to encourage them to choose future STEM careers. The school where I work , for example , is partecipating to the Olimpic maths games and there are some students will partecipate to the Final of the competition, so great!. I know my friends ‘ daughter is working in Germany at the ESA as an engineer so I’m optimistic for the future generations.

lora_bonomo — 2017-05-02 09:50:56 UTC

Anna, Italy

2017-05-02 13:03:16 UTC

My female students are very smart and prepared in math and science and are very hopeful.
As far as the university's research field I have done is still a primarily male prerogative.
The main reasons are parental care and shortcomings in the welfare system, as well as a bigoted mentality.

Irma, Italy

2017-05-02 15:23:38 UTC

The country I live in is sufficiently tied to traditional roles in the job. Men perform the classic activities of their male gender. This is why it is difficult to meet a male housewife, a male baby sitter and, unfortunately, an infant school teacher or primary school teacher. Except for women: in my country there is no barber woman, but there is a good orchestra conductor and many women who are emerging as school leaders or small entrepreneurs. This is the sign that society is evolving and is considering the woman as well, if not more, capable of a man!

Sergio, Spain.

2017-05-02 21:26:13 UTC

In my country, the gender gap in STEM grades has been reducing in the last years. Unfortunately, there are more difference at companies.

Miriam, Spain

miriam_gutort — 2017-05-03 13:41:54 UTC

In Spain, the gender gap in STEM careers has reduced. However, I can tell that there are still more male students in some of these careers.
In Primary Education, where I teach, there is no difference in subjects like Maths or Science. There are a lot of girls in my class who love Maths.

Fabiola, Italy

ciottifab — 2017-05-03 15:54:57 UTC

I think that in recent years female students are more intersted in STEM areas because they can report more self-confidence in their ability to solve mathematics or science problem. In fact they understood that creativity is very important to build something that can be useful and do they became most motivated than boys.
So the number of women in research careers is increasing.

Mercedes, Spain

mmorenoeoi — 2017-05-03 22:23:22 UTC

In my opinion, the gender gap in STEM still remains in Spain.
Most of the female students in my class that are interested in Science fields, want to be a Doctor, but very few of them want to study Engineer, Physics, etc. I think it is because Medicine it's a very popular career with a very high employment level and it's easier to imagine them as a doctor than as another profession they don't know so well. Perhaps it's our fault as a teacher.

Iztok, Slovenia

2017-05-04 06:02:14 UTC

In my opinion, in Slovenia, the gender gap in STEM careers has reduced.

Slavica, Croatia

ps_slavica — 2017-05-04 08:43:05 UTC

It's hard to be mother, housewife, scientist at the same time... without support of family.

Tiziana, Italy

2017-05-04 10:26:31 UTC

I think that the number of girls attracted by science disciplines has increased in recent times but the number of boys is higher. However, many students have low self-esteem and do not believe they have the skills for a scientific career. In Italy, the true gender gap in STEM begins after graduation, when female students enter into world of work, even in the academic world. Infact, being a scientist requires a very strong character because you need to be able to organize very well your private life. In Italy, family life management is still in the hands of the woman and unfortunately there are no welfare policies that can help women.

Paola, Italy

paolaida_bevilacqua — 2017-05-04 15:48:30 UTC

As a girl I was interested in engineering. My father was an engineer. I told him about that and he disagreed, he wanted me to be a medical doctor . As I wasn't so determined I gave up. I still regret it after many years, and now I know I could have succeeded. In my opinion in Italy the gender gap still exist, and even now that more girls achieve a degree in STEM it is still very difficult that they can get positions in companies that traditionally employ mostly men. The pipeline leaks a lot.

Iris, Spain

2017-05-04 16:16:30 UTC

I am a civil engineer, so I know very closely what it is to study a career traditionally men. I share my personal experience with all my students and encourage science studies in all those who demonstrate aptitudes. In addition, every year we celebrate the day of women and girls in science, on February 11, with an exposition made by the students, to highlight the importance of women's contributions to science.

Anna La Montagna, Italy

2017-05-05 05:43:40 UTC

I think there is still a gap in STEM careers in Italy because there are still the social constraints that women see as the home queen who has to care for the family and therefore does not have much time to devote themselves to their professional career.

Even in primary school and upper secondary school we can see that most teachers are females since at least until about ten in Italy the teacher's work was optimal to reconcile family and personal aspirations.

This is no longer the case today.

I love sciences and the first thing I'm trying to make to my pupils is that everything that we observe today has its own explanation or possibility of scientific hypothesis. Why did not our grandmothers ever put salt in cold water in the pot, but only after the water boiled? And just last night a schoolgirl sent me a photo of a knitting needle and asked why he did not fall?

So yes my students are also females interested and curious and even in the school where I teach from this school year there are some female teachers who continue their university research activities as well.

Laura G. - Italy

laurega — 2017-05-05 10:35:21 UTC

In Italy the number of girls interested in STEM areas is higher and higher. Many young women graduate in engineering. But then, it's difficult to find a matching job. the world of work still prefer a man for the STEM areas and the job crisis strengthens this culture.

Eva, Spain

2017-05-05 18:30:32 UTC

In my country and from my point of view the gender gap in STEM is decreasing day by day. I think the big problem is when women don´t reach high position in a company, for example, although they have the same career and qualification than men. Normally, the same conditions the company prefers a man.
Nowadays, in classroom, we try to teach from gender equality without gender stereotypes.

Ivana T., Croatia

2017-05-05 18:46:50 UTC

In Croatia, very few girls are interested in STEM careers, some are studying. Finding a job is a different matter because the other beliefs that this is a male business and a smart woman is just a threat.

Maria, Italy

2017-05-05 19:14:34 UTC

In my country, there are many female interested in STEM carreers, but there are, also many difficult to find job. For culture, many girls prefer the family life.

LOURDES, SPAIN

2017-05-06 06:05:52 UTC

In my country there isn´t many women in research careers. when they have to choose, they usually often prefer university studies closer to health or education. Their job possibilities are greater. In the company careers usually they prefers a man. And young girls students know this.

Maria Daniela, Italy

mariadaniela_renna — 2017-05-06 16:54:46 UTC

In Italy female students often excel in Maths and Science and are interested in STEM areas. There are many women in research careers, but the enrollment is often difficult and there are still social stereotypes.

Simona, Italy

srifici — 2017-05-06 17:26:05 UTC

In Italy there are a lot of women interested in STEM carreers. I'm one of them. Unfortunately, there are also a lot of problems to find a job expecially in STEM areas. In addiction, for a cultural idea, women generally prefer to take care of their family and they think that a STEM job could be too binding.

ARANTXA ORIA VIDAL, Spain

Arantxa_Oria — 2017-05-06 21:50:26 UTC

I think there is a significant gap between the number of men and women studying STEM careers in our country. This difference is very small in areas related to Health and Biology, but still very large in areas related to Technology, Engineering and Computing .
However, I am optimistic that this situation of difference between men and women will be equated in the coming years.
In our school we have 64 students in the Baccalaureate of Sciences versus 37 students in the Baccalaureate of Social Sciences.
And in the Bachelor of Science, there are 39 girls, which is 61%.
Education today is more parity, and teachers encourage students to study science.
I also believe that girls have greater perseverance and failure resistance, so the number of boys and girls in STEM racing will end up equating.
I quote some articles referring to the gender gap in our country:
http://www.elmundo.es/espana/2015/07/27/55b025f7268e3e3b6e8b459b.html http://noticias.universia.es/educacion/noticia/2016/09/30/1144149/rol-mujeres-carreras-stem.html Proyecto Women at Technology: http://paginasdemujeremprendedora.net/susana-garcia-espinel-desigualdad-carreras-stem-aras-cambio/

Daniela,Italy

2017-05-06 21:51:39 UTC

Unfortunately also in Italy female students who are interested in STEM areas are few and not encouraged in their career's choice. It is probably due to social perceptions and expectations both from family and school. Things are changing a few because of some important female scientists and engeeners like Rita Levi Montalcini, Fabiola Gianotti and Samantha Cristoforetti.

Inés, Spain

ines_olivera_crego — 2017-05-06 22:15:11 UTC

It is clear that up to now, there has been a gap between the men that chose a TEM career and women, but I'm seeing a slight change and my female students are prone to chose Engeneering or computer science.

Adina Marcu,Romania

adinamarcu9 — 2017-05-07 10:14:06 UTC

Romanian girls/women are very strong!They go to work,coming home and cleaning,cooking,caring kids,study and don"t giving up!Yes,we have female students interested in STEM areas!

Elena, Spain

luzelena_guzman — 2017-05-07 14:47:04 UTC

There is a gender gap regarding STEM careers.

For example in my classes there are no female students interested in a STEM career.

However there are different projects set up to encourage females in this type of career. See the link attached. http://spain.girlsintech.org/tag/stem-women/

Hasime, Macedonia

hasime — 2017-05-07 18:38:00 UTC

In my math class female are more interested in STEM fields. When I do testes, women have higher scores than boys.
I don’t have information if are many women in research careers.

Suela Braushi.Albania

2017-05-07 19:39:32 UTC

Jaime, Spain

2017-05-07 20:33:00 UTC

In my country the gender gap in STEM is decreasing. There are more women interested and studying STEM careers related to Maths, Science, Biology, Engineering.

Angel Juan, Spain

sothis2005 — 2017-05-08 06:42:09 UTC

I have work as a secondary teacher in Spain for 25 year and I have witnessed the changes that have happened. Starting with the positive side it has had an important increase of woman studying science degrees and pursuing scientific carers. This transformation has been terrific in the healthy field, where currently the majority of students are women, but also has been important in basic science (physics, chemistry and biology) and mathematics where the situation is nowadays quite balanced. On the other hand we have to highlight tow negative things. One of this is that the inequality between men and women in the top of the carriers, even in the healthy field. The other one is that engineering and technical studies continue being a men field and the situation has became worst in recent years with a slight decreasing in women enrolling this studies.
My class reproduce the situation of my country. I think that in science we are doing a good job. In Spain the teaching of science is separated from the teaching of technical issues. In secondary school there are specific subjects taught by teachers with an engineering background.

Alessandra-Italy

alessandrapulinas3 — 2017-05-08 07:38:56 UTC

In our country there is a gap between genders. Women traditionally were related with home cleaning and childrens' care. In our schools most teachers are women.Something is changing but there's lot to do about encouraging and motivatingwomen in STEM careers.

Loles, Spain

2017-05-08 14:39:09 UTC

In my humble opinion there are more female students interested on stem careers than years ago, I mean, I'm a Chemical Engineer and when I studied at the University the number of boys were more than girls by far but I think that things are changing little by little for the better.

On the other hand it is relevant to point out that I chose a science degree thanks to my chemistry teacher at the high school because he motivated everyone not only the boys but also the girls. For this reason it’s worth highlighting the importance to motivate our students no matter the gender.

In my case I always include aspects of the history of science in my classes so that the students see that there have always been women, such as: Marie Curie, Jane Goodall, Sophie Germain an so on.

Toñi, Spain

2017-05-08 16:09:36 UTC

At the University, when I was studying Biology, women were in parity. I think this will happen currently too.
Nowadays, the challenge will be that girls don't abandon their studies, I think most of them won't study at University. Female stereotypes that they watch on TV are women worried about beauty, and pretending not be intelligent.
Girls that choose STEM studies have to break this: I notice that they are afraid of answer correctly.
Machismo is inside us even today.

Jesús María, Spain

jmariaprieto — 2017-05-08 18:10:56 UTC

I teach Markup Languages at vocational training schools in Spain, I don't have a global vision but I teach almost only boys. I have only 2 girls in four classes. I think that there is a gender gap.

Giuliana, Italia

juxylla73 — 2017-05-09 17:46:10 UTC

I'm a secondary school teacher in the south of Italy. Gender gap in STEM is evident: in an "applied science" class there are only two female students on 28. Female students have to be more supported and helped already form primary school in choosing and practising STEM skills.

Marianna, Italia

2017-05-09 22:59:13 UTC

A few days ago a student's father told me that his technology teacher was an old and severe man. So he could not understand how I, young and open mind ... I could teach the same thing today! This happens in Italy where the role of woman is still stereotyped.

Carmela F. ,Italy

2017-05-10 10:32:54 UTC

I'm a maths teacher in a secondary school. I think that the gender gap in STEM is less than the past. In fact the number of women who study STEM's disciplines is aumented.

Iván, Spain.

2017-05-10 15:25:13 UTC

I admit that there are some old stereotypes about the roles of woman and about the fact that STEM careers are maybe "more targetted" to men and humanistic and art careers more for women.
But I do not agree very much with these stereotypes... In fact, in my classes (I work as a Physics and Chemistry teacher) there are more or less equality in the gender balance (It is true that in the Physics of the last year there are more males, but in the rest of the subjects and years the number of men and women are quite equal... And I also remember my class in the university where the male were a minority... We were clearly outnumbered by women.

Iskandar, Malaysia

2017-05-10 16:07:18 UTC

Number of girls who study in Science Class is as many as boys in Malaysia.

In 2015, a 17-year-old Faye Jong-Sow Fei had an asteroid named after her name.
In 2016, a 25-year-old Shu Lam solved the superbug problem.

Antonio, Spain

2017-05-11 10:01:48 UTC

The culture is changin, I think that in a short period of time and with more education the things will change.

Alan

2017-05-11 15:04:23 UTC

In Malta, females are still lagging behind in fields such as engineering (mechanical more than electronics), ICT, amongst others

Gabriella, Italy

gabriella — 2017-05-11 20:09:38 UTC

I think the present situation is still quite stuck with a significant gender gap, and really it is not just in STEM , but in STEM careers It is the most noticeable. Hopefully soon there will be a lot more Debbies in our society; in the Draw a scientist article Anissa Ramirez cites the show The Big Bang Theory presenting scientist characters: well, even though STEM scientists are males there are also two female scientists. So we can hope that confidence will grow in girls and culture will change to let everybody get the chance to study whatever they like giving us all the best scientists of all, not just those whose social and cultural background enabled to make this choice.

Eduardo Spain

2017-05-11 20:22:22 UTC

When I studied there were only 25% of women in the caree, yes there were a gap

Isabel, Spain

2017-05-12 10:21:22 UTC

In my country, our female students are interested in STEM areas. More and more women in research careers.

Luisa, Spain

2017-05-12 11:35:32 UTC

STEM careers are the clearest example of gender inequalities. At the global level,  schools are worried because the lack of women interested in enrolling in this type of careers.
Most of the girls in my school are not interested in STEM careers.

Sara, Spain

sarabarbapenas — 2017-05-12 14:13:21 UTC

I think that even though things are changing for the better, and more and more girls are interested in technical and research careers, in general, the amount of male students of STEM áreas is much higher than that of female students. I believe there still some gender gap, maybe because of cultural reasons (as there is still the feeling that engineering is just not for girls), or maybe because women still suffer from gender discrimination in the workplace, and that is something out students see everyday, and they just don't want to be there We all hope the gender gap comes to end, but the current work situation is not the best for this to happen any sooner.

Iggie. Spain

2017-05-12 17:40:56 UTC

I think that gender inequalities are little by little fading away. It is true that there are more women in humanistic careers, however, it is also true that a large number of women are taking scientific careers. we see that there are more and more women becoming specialist in chemistry and medicine. Nevertheless enginering although it is a male dominant degree, it is begining to be more and more chosen by women. Where I think that the gender inequalities exist is probably in the wages and in the difficulties of women to get pregnant and mantain their own job.

Ana, Spain

2017-05-13 09:02:08 UTC

I think that, in Spain, the problem arises in situations where partiality may be present.
For example, the entrance examination to the university degrees is anonymous and therefore girls, we can demonstrate our potential without problem. Then, we arrived at the Engineering Schools and we began to feel certain discriminations from some (only some) classmates and teachers, anyway, we get the university degree.
So, we go to job interviews and we face the harsh reality, some men do not trust us, do not see us as true engineers or scientists, they see us the future mothers and wives. Due to not being able to climb professionally, job interviews are usually carried out by men, so the situation is perpetual in time in the form of loop.
We must educate kids so that they really change. Fortunately, the educators, we have an incredible opportunity to contribute in our classes to this cause.

Antonio J. Blasco, Spain

ajblasco — 2017-05-13 09:22:14 UTC

From my twenty-something 14-year-old students only 2 or 3 are interested in STEM areas. I studied Physics and the number of girls was way below the number of boys. However, medical sciences and other STEM areas (like chemistry) attract more women and this can be changing anytime.

Lena R., Greece

rossiou — 2017-05-14 13:44:01 UTC

Female students are interested in STEM areas. The rate between men and women is changed and it seems to be half-half although there are still people who don't trust women for a particularly job

Yessica, Spain

2017-05-14 16:05:42 UTC

I do not know why, but it is true that number of female students that join a STEM career in lower than the number of male students. Although I know a lot of women studying a STEM career, the number of men is higher. Since children are in the school girls continue choosing jobs not related to science, research or technology, but then, when they grow older they hopefully change their minds.

Maria del Mar, Spain

2017-05-15 14:48:42 UTC

I remember that only 30 years ago, in Spain there were no many women doctors and nowaday they are the most.
So I think that actitudes are changing and everyday there are more femanles interested in study STEM university degrees

Veronica, Italy

2017-05-15 15:14:45 UTC

I agree about the fact that gender identity is a social construction. Nowadays this difference is something that people try to avoid, but in reality is more treacherous. In fact girls are not really free to diced what they really want to do. Girls always feel guilty in some way, if they don't fallow the natural pact they seem yo have genetically. I want work, as a teacher, for rise more engineer than princesses.

Roberto, Spain

rsilvavet — 2017-05-15 17:51:26 UTC

In my country, women that study STEM related career invove mainly bioscience jobs such doctors, nurses, biologists, but they do not choose engineering as often as men do.
We can see women in research careers in the news but I think it is because there are not too many, so they are relevant.

Marija, Serbia

marijadikic73 — 2017-05-15 21:36:10 UTC

Because of communist past in my country,gender gap is not existed in formal way. And now, in the present days, genders are almost equally represented in many jobs.

Raquel, Spain

granjaraquel — 2017-05-16 14:42:01 UTC

In Spain as a headline we can say the following: "The CSIC Women's Research Report 2016 confirms this trend despite the fact that 60% of university degrees are obtained by women"

The following graph does not give a clear picture of the gap between men and women in positions that require scientific knowledge and experience. It is improving in gender equality, but there is a great way to achieve it.

José Luis, Spain

jose_mart1617 — 2017-05-16 15:50:08 UTC

When I studied Physics, in the UAM (Autonomous University of Madrid), in the first 90's, the most of the students were male. Least of 5% were female. As far as I know this has improved in recent years, going to almost 35% in 2012. On the other hand more than fithty per cent of the chemistry students were women and still they were in 2012.

Guadalupe, Spain

2017-05-16 17:16:52 UTC

I teach in a high schools and the classes of sciences are fifty-fifty but the problem is that many of them prefer health carreer.

Rukiye, Turkey

2017-05-16 20:08:02 UTC

Gender stereotypes are the main cause for our country in case of why women are more likely to follow caregiver careers.

Luis E. González. Spain

luisgf — 2017-05-18 16:08:00 UTC

In Spain there is a huge difference between boys and girls who like STEM. Usually girls are not attracted to them. In my case I have been able to verify through a programming competition that of the 12 interested, only 1 was girl, when it was proposed to a total of 85 people, 21 girls.

Soraya, Spain

2017-05-19 18:34:13 UTC

Nowadays, things are changing and there are many girls who are interested in STEM, at least they have the opportunity to choose.

Merce, Spain

2017-05-20 06:04:17 UTC

From my point of view, n my country the gender gap is still big. There are more male related to STEM carrers.

Monica, Italy

2017-05-20 20:51:38 UTC

In Italy the gender gap in STEM is very obvious.

Girls do not consider a job in STEM suitable for a woman.

It is also due to a problem of the economy and politics.

Maja Videnovic, Macedonia

maja_informatik — 2017-05-20 21:13:57 UTC

I think that this gap in STEM careers is a result of the culture and the traditional way of thinking that men should work and women should stay at home and be housewives. But I think that in Macedonia this situation is not that dramatically. There are more men in the science professions but the difference is not significantly.

María, Spain

isasama10 — 2017-05-20 22:47:42 UTC

The situation in my country is changing very quickly. More and more girls are going for STEM careers. However, I believe that teachers and parents, along with educational authorities and industry must support girls and continue fighting the gender gap in STEM.

Aneta Popiołek, Poland

2017-05-21 13:29:16 UTC

In my country men outnumber women in STEAM area, but year after year the number of young women interested in STEM carrier is growing

Marta

2017-05-21 20:26:42 UTC

In my country there is still an enormous gender gap refering to SEM Careers.

I enjoyed this TED video, and I think it tells the truth about gender gap.

2017-05-22 09:50:48 UTC

It is not even in the school, but the chilhood, and the expectations that parents and society have about gboys and girls.. The school just reproduces and makes this gap to be bigger.

Mirela-Emilia, Romania

mirelaemiliapop — 2017-05-22 19:47:52 UTC

In my country female students are intersted in STEM areas .
Yes are many women in research careers.

Mariangela Italy

marivallo78 — 2017-05-23 07:19:19 UTC

In my countries there are many women interested and graduated in STEM areas. there are few women in research careers: caring for children and for a family, in some cases, has the effect of lowering women's possibility in continuing the research career

Luis, Spain.

2017-05-24 10:53:11 UTC

I think that things are changing but still the majority of teachers and head researchers are men

Jose Molto, SpainUnfortunately, I don´t have many students -female- in my clases, even having different levels and working in private and public institutions. So, I think that we need to work hard in order to change numbers. On the other hand, I have not experienced what Debbie Sterling says in her speech often, I think that here in Spain -thank God- are more and more engineers -female- and society starts to asume it as normal.

2017-05-24 11:53:13 UTC

David de Pablo, Spain.

david_depablo — 2017-05-24 13:20:24 UTC

When I was student in engineering, there were just 20 girls among 400 students. Nowadays, in technology or computers courses, we have one girl in 20 students or 2 girls in 35 students.
I don't think it has changed anything in the last 20 years.

Andrew, UK

andrew_welch1 — 2017-05-24 15:27:17 UTC

There are a few girls (and boys) in my classes that have told me they want to be an engineer. To be honest, thinking about it it seems to be the most common career students tell me they want to be. I wish I knew more about it to help them.

Arianna, Italy

2017-05-24 20:39:20 UTC

We had famous female scientists in the past; now I know there are some women and girls are working in Stem areas but I have no idea about the numbers.

Ozrenka, Croatia

ozrenka_mestrovic — 2017-05-24 21:22:54 UTC

There is a lot of interest for S but still not so much for TEM. Part of the problem is that all high level positions at Universities and Labs are still very often "Man only".

Cristina, Italy

cristina_spinucci — 2017-05-25 06:27:55 UTC

I know a some female scientist (biologists) because my husband works in Biology faculty in local university. But I know there are a few girls interested in STEM. I was very intersted in mathematics anche computer science (in STEM) and I'd like to attend the mathematics faculty but my father did not allow me because I was a female....

Nuria, Spain

2017-05-25 15:59:46 UTC

Nowadays girls and boys, I think , they are interesting in STEM areas and in research careers in the same proportion.
In the past, women were more interested in geografic, music and letter areas and men were more interested in research, computer and ingeneering

This article, in my opinion, should be more to help motivate women and girls to study/work in STEM careers, than to show some not-so-proven hypothesis(or theories) as if they had really been demonstrated. It happens nowadays everyday, which seems to be more political than anything else.

2017-05-25 17:34:56 UTC

Sorry to say, but I love scientific method over all, and not perceptions...

Teresa C. Italy

2017-05-25 21:08:38 UTC

I think in my country there is not so marked. There are many female students interested in STEM areas and many women in research careers

Regina

romreg — 2017-05-26 07:05:36 UTC

Lithuania
In spite of the fact that the demand for STEM careers is increasing rapidly in Lithuania, paradoxically not many female students choose their future jobs from this sphere. I believe, it is due to the fact that not enough information is provided at schools about the future jobs perspective. The situation is changing a little bit but not enough. The promotion of STEM careers should be more intense.

Mariangela Fabiana Gramegna, Italy

facararolina — 2017-05-26 15:20:05 UTC

My female students are surely influenced by the idea that women are caregivers and not leaders so they have not technical skills and are not able in Stem as their mothers.
That's why I try to present women like Rita Levi Montalcini, an Italian neurologist, famous all over the world, trying to provide a great model to follow

Raquel, Spain

raquel_blamar_1 — 2017-05-26 16:50:00 UTC

When I was a child I never felt I could study anything. In fact I always thougt everybody felt the same. But, nowadays, in the highschools I worked, I think there are less women than before. I do not really know the figures about gender gap in Spain. I suppose they are not that poor figures as in UEA.

Vicky, Spain

victoria_zotes — 2017-05-27 06:52:32 UTC

I think than nowadays, the toy industry make even more differecies between toys for girls and toys for boys. I played with puzzles, constructions, cars, and so on. Perhaps the fact that I have a brother could help. In my Ingineer career we were fewer women than men.

Claudia S., Italy

claudiascriffignano — 2017-05-27 19:26:28 UTC

In my school students, male or female, are generally not very interested in STEM areas.
Most of them prefer to continue languages or economics studies, specially the girls.
However I think there is in general an inclination in considering STEM careers less suitable for a girl

Ana M Espino, Spain

2017-05-27 20:07:34 UTC

I have observed in Spain several paradoxes. Twenty years ago, in mathematics, physics and chemistry, the rates of men and woman students were very similar, while in engineering studies there was a gap between man and women. I have perceived that this gap has increased again during the last years.

While in research centres there are a huge majority of women, I have personally lived the situation of well-known companies calling for recruitment, but only for men.

It was surprising to me, after have sent curricula to lots of national and European companies, have received invitation only by some European companies.

M

2017-05-28 16:58:50 UTC

Mila,Spain

2017-05-28 16:58:51 UTC

In my country, tthere is a gender gap related to STEM careers. Most of female students are no interested in Stem areas.It is true that things are changing and opportunities are the same for both,male and female.

Lotte, Denmark

tingsager68 — 2017-05-28 18:20:34 UTC

In Denmark there is also a gender gab related to STEM. At my school, we are three chemistry and physics teacher and no male teachers that is an odd situation, but perhaps we can inspire more of our female student to go the STEM path. Generally in Denmark it is a male dominated career and that is a shame.

Vítor Silva, Portugal

vitorlousilva — 2017-05-28 22:54:14 UTC

(https://padlet.com/vitorlousilva/cdm728q36ro9)
In Universities we now have more girls than boys in gaduate and post-graduate studies. In Portugal gender equality in STEM áreas has beendeclining in recente years.

Haluk Karatas Turkey

shkaratas — 2017-05-29 10:11:25 UTC

In Turkey, the number of girls taking on STEM subjects is very low when compared with opposite sex. But recent years the number of girls choosing STEM professions are on the rise.

agnieszka , poland

2017-05-31 21:12:31 UTC

In Poland female students intrested in STEM areas but then they grow up and have a children. Every people expetations for girls only little princess.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/C7eST4rW4AU_K7Z.jpg

2017-05-31 21:18:48 UTC

Gis México

2017-06-01 17:18:28 UTC

I liked this picture so much!!
science is funny and couriosity for everyone in early ages ...

Noelia V., Spain

noelia_velasco_perez — 2017-06-02 10:30:19 UTC

In Spain, I´ve appreciated a great controversy. Nowdays, many women are working as researches at universitary investigatory teams, and it is growing our participation in all STEM careers. However, this improvement isn´t reflect in the labor market, where the highest positions of responsibility are held by men, wages are unequal and there are still companies that hire new workers according to their gender.
An example of this situation, is my research department in the university, where more than 70% of workers are women, but the representation of women in leadership is just below 20%.

Reyes, Spain

2017-06-02 16:16:21 UTC

I think that some of my female students are better in STEM areas than my male ones, the things are changing.

Emel, TURKEY

mlaydn — 2017-06-03 14:26:48 UTC

Female students are interested in STEM areas in my country . But In my country there are gender differences in the professions. When say scientists, men come to mind.

Miguel A., Burgos (Spain)

kapy83 — 2017-06-03 20:47:59 UTC

In the specific case of my school, I would say that I have many female students in my science subjects. I have many female ex-students in careers such as chemistry, food technology, engineering, architecture ... In any case, the statistics are there and indicate that we must continue to seek a solution to that gap and also promote equality in the workplace, breaking all glass ceiling.

Juan Gutiérrez, Spain

jgutierrezs — 2017-06-05 09:56:03 UTC

Currently in Spain are mor female tertiary students than male. The change is coming

Jeane de Fatima, Rio de Janeiro - Brasil

jeanedefatima — 2017-06-07 16:47:44 UTC

I work with robotics in recycled robbery competitions and I have few girls, I offer the material, I make dates they do not care
We really need to have something that can change this refusal.
I use watszap facebok for disclosure of photos.
We have to change this idea that girl does not work with science
Marie Currie who received two Nobel prizes in the last century is an example to be followed.

Dilek Yildirim/ Turkey

2017-06-12 17:04:57 UTC

My female students are interested in STEM areas but there are'nt women in resarch careers in my city.
It is not believed that women will succeed in our country.