American Community Survey Reports, September 2013 Women’s representation in computer occupations has declined since the 1990s. Nearly 1 in 5 female science and engineering graduates are out of the labor force, compared with less than 1 in 10 male science and engineering graduates. The most recent decades show less growth in STEM employment among younger women. Blacks and Hispanics have been consistently underrepresented in STEM employment.
with an elephant sitting on her chest. You notice she is short of breath. Shortness of breath can be a symptom of heart problems. In her case, the much more likely cause is the elephant on her chest. For a long time, society put obstacles in the way of women who wanted to enter the sciences. That is the elephant. Until the playing field has been leveled and lingering stereotypes are gone, you can't even ask the question. SALLY RIDE
become a role model. But after my first flight, it became clear to me that I was one. And I began to understand the importance of that to people. Young girls need to see role models in whatever careers they may choose, just so they can picture themselves doing those jobs someday. You can’t be what you can’t see. SALLY RIDE
to science is greater than ever before.... Yet. You have people who believe they are scientifically literate but, in fact, are not. ... We're an elective democracy where science and technology will define where the economically strong countries in the world will be. ... You can't have people making decisions about the future of the world who are scientifically illiterate. NEIL DEGRASSE TYSON
start with romance and build to a reality. There’s hardly a scientist or an astronaut I’ve met who wasn’t beholden to some romantic before him who led him to doing something in life. I think it’s so important to be excited about life. In order to get the facts we have to be excited to go out and get them, and there’s only one way to do that — through romance. We need this thing which makes us sit bolt upright when we are nine or ten and say, ‘I want to go out and devour the world, I want to do these things.’ RAY BRADBURY