Women in STEM, while just a slogan on a poster for some, means everything to others. Since the beginning of time, there have been inequalities in Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM) fields between Men and Women, and while always improving – we have a long way to go until real equality. 

The Girls Index™ is a 2023 study of more than 1

7,000 girls, from 5th to 12th grade, with data about embracing STEM and its correlation with confidence. This study

is the first of its kind, being the largest national survey to have a deeper understanding of girls’ emotions and dreams throughout the 

United States.

This study took data from a very diverse subject group, with ranges of socioeconomic status, age, and ethnicity. Taking equal proportions from rural, urban and suburban households, and from ages between 10 and 18. 

These are the biggest pulled statistics from the study: 

• Girls’ interest in pursuing a career in STEM is increasing

  

“Since the 2017 Girls’ IndexTM, overall rates of girls’ interest in STEM increased from 45% to 55%. The greatest gains in STEM interest were among 5th and 6th grade girls — with nearly a 20% gain.”

• Girls’ perceptions of theirabilities in STEM subjects are declining

“Since 2017, girls are less likely to believe they are good at STEM subjects such as math and science. 59% of girls believe they are good at math and science, down from 73% in 2017.”

• 86% of girls want a career that helps others 

“Girls overwhelmingly report that they want a career that helps others, however far fewer (49%) report that they are considering a STEM career AND a career that helps others.”

• Race and income level do not impact STEM interest; confidence does 

“STEM interest did not vary markedly across race or socioeconomic status. There is a 3% variance in STEM interest across income levels and 8% between racial categories (i.e. 55% of white girls report they are considering a STEM career vs. 63% of Asian girls). Confident girls were nearly 20% more likely to report STEM interest.”

• Girls do not believe they are smart enough for their dream job 

“58% of 9th-12th grade girls report that they do not believe they are smart enough for their dream job, up from 46% in 2017. Among 5th and 6th grade girls, it is 52% — up from 23% in 2017.”

• 89% of girls are under press

  

  ure to fit into specific roles or stereotypes 

“The majority of girls report feeling pressured to fit into the specific stereotypes that are thought to be appropriate and expected for girls and women.”

• In the United States, women
  comprise 35% of the STEM workforce.

• Overall, girls’ confidence has declined since 2017 

“13% fewer girls described themselves as confident in this research compared to 2017. 5th grade girls experienced the steepest decline, dropping from 86% to 68%.”

• Confident girls are more likely to consider a STEM career 

“Confidence connects to STEM interest for girls. Across age groups, confident girls were 20% more likely to be interested in a STEM occupation than their less confident peers.”

• Women hold 25% of computer & mathematical sciences jobs and 16% of engineering jobs in the United States.

• 40% of girls with a 4.0 grade point average are not sure if they are smart enough for their dream career.

  

• Most girls are under pressure to fit into specific roles 

“89% of girls report that they feel pressure to fit into specific roles and stereotypes, and 79% of girls report that they are under so much pressure that they feel like they are “going to explode.”

• 28% of high school girls avoid classes with low female enrollment 

“The perception of the gender composition of high school classes impacts 1 in 4 girls’ course selections. When girls do not see themselves represented in specific classes, they may be less likely to enroll.”

• Girls who have teachers who treat them like they are smart are 56% more likely to have an interest in pursuing a STEM occupation.
• At the current pace, we will not see EQUAL representation in STEM until the year 2070.

While these numbers reflect the general trends throughout the United States, the female community at the school has been thriving and pioneering in the STEM fields. 

Maya Yilmez is a senior at the school whose interest in STEM started in her sophomore year when she took Advanced Placement (AP) Psychology. She became fascinated with abnormal psychology and mental disorders. Throughout her junior and senior years, she challenged herself with International Baccalaureate (IB) biology and psychology to further her knowledge.  These classes piqued her interest in the biological processes of the brain along with the cognitive and sociocultural processes seen in psychology. This piqued her interest in neurology. 

“The summer before 11th grade, I emailed a lot of neuroscience professors asking to do a Zoom call to talk about how I can get involved in research as a high schooler,” Yilmez said. “One took a chance on me, leading to the process of crafting a research paper on my own using external resources. This paper was focused on the neurochemical causes of schizophrenia, aligning with my previously stated interest in neuroscience. I eventually published this paper in the International Youth Neuroscience Association Journal. In junior year, Marc Merril and I started the Science Society, recognizing that the school didn’t have an active science club. The summer before senior year I went back to emailing professors, and one invited me to observe their neuroscience lab at the University of Virginia (UVA).”

STEM is a big part of Yilmez’s life, but it has not always been easy. One part of the school that has helped her grow her interest in STEM, is the support she has gotten from the rest of the female school community. Additionally all of Ylimez’s STEM teachers and UVA lab mates have been female which helps build the community. 

“I think that as a female I always had this underlying urge to prove myself as worthy and “as smart as the boys,’” Yilmez said. “I never felt outright discouraged, but I’ve felt doubted by my male peers on multiple occasions. It’s just small things like the guys in my biology class had a study group and were weird about letting me study with them. I think that teenage boys are just more likely to express rude feelings.” 

After high school, Yilmez plans to major in neuroscience and then aspires to law school 

to specialize in intellectual property and patent law. While she is concerned about being patronized by her male counterparts, she emphasizes that it is important to not let that stand in the way of following your dreams. Every girl should be able to study what they want to study. If you feel discouraged, reach out to a trusted adult. At the school, there are many great adults to reach out to. 

Similarly, Kaitlin Madison, a junior, has aspirations for a career in STEM. She is very involved with the school community as the president of the school Red Cross Club, who do many STEM activities. Madison has also done the school science fair for the past 3 years being able to conduct research at the National Institute of Health on antibiotic resistance. She also attended the Virginia Governor’s School for Math, Science, and Technology.

“In some sense, I’ve always known I wanted to go into the stem field,” said Madison. “Science has forever been my favorite subject, doing the IB program has only furthered my passion for STEM because I’m able to take 3 STEM courses: IB Standard Level (SL) physics, IB Higher Level (HL) biology, and IB HL math. I’m not exactly sure what specifically I want to do, but I know I want to go into the medical field. Right now I would say maybe biomedical engineer, pediatrician, or pathologist.” 

While being supported by the school and Arlington communities, with various clubs and passionate STEM teachers, Madison has experienced inequalities as a girl in STEM.   

“I think women are often underrepresented in STEM fields, but by achieving my goals I can inspire other girls who want to pursue STEM,” said Madison. “As I’ve gotten older it has become more apparent that the stem field lacks women’s representation, so I’ve done my best to educate younger girls. I help coach an Odyssey of the Mind team of all girls. Odyssey of the Mind is a stem competition that is super interesting and helps participants learn about the engineering process.”

After high school, Madison wants to go to a university with a good biology program and get her medical degree after that. 

“There are so many ways to get involved in STEM, you just have to put yourself out there! It is never too late to start something new in STEM,” said Madison.