**2.1 Possible reasons for the existing gender gap**

Effort has been made to identify the various factors across cognitive, motivational, sociocultural, and environmental reasons that are contributing to women's lower participation in STEM college majors [15]. Studies on cognitive factors have traditionally centered around science and mathematics ability in childhood and adolescence. Strong science and mathematical competence is found to be fundamental for STEM

#### **Figure 1.**

*Distribution of STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) workforce in the United Kingdom from 2016 to 2019, by gender [13].*

achievement, and high-school students with higher science and math achievement are more likely to choose STEM when it comes to college majors [16]. However, an analysis in the US showed that though boys have long been believed to have stronger math abilities than girls, assessments showed no gender difference in math performance among boys and girls in grades two through grade eleven [17], which makes that factor a probability and not an absolute on the impact it has on student's decision to go into STEM. Another study conducted in the U.S. went beyond the known cognitive factors and abilities like giftedness in math and calculus and aimed to trace the origins of the gender gap in STEM college majors to spatial skills in middle childhood. The study found that enhancing spatial skills in childhood such as through spatial play at home and spatial activities in schools could set more children, especially girls, on a pathway toward STEM achievement in adulthood [14].

Granato [11] breaks down the determinants of the major choice by students to go into STEM courses into three main factors: pre-college education, family and social background, and higher education supply. To explain these factors further, the study poses that a student's experience in primary and secondary school influences their skills, interests and subsequently their career. Mathematics was also found to be the highest predictor of the decision to go into STEM courses [17], further evidence from more developed countries like the UK and the US indicates that taking maths courses in high school is a strong predictor of a later STEM major choice [18, 19].

A child's environment and family also show high correlations to their choice of course in college. Some women with high ability may choose to exert lower effort and select less difficult majors with lower monetary returns when identity enters their choices because it is expected from them under the prevailing gender identity norms in their environment [20, 21]. Parents' educational achievement is also highlighted under family influence that impacts the decision of what course to study in college and other studies have shown the existence of a gendered pattern in the influence of parents' education or occupation on their children's educational and occupational choices [22]. **Figure 2** highlights the share of women in STEM who also have parents in the STEM field.

Women are more likely to end up in STEM courses and occupations if either or both parents have a similar occupation.

The availability of higher education in close proximity to college students was also found to influence their course choices [11]. If there is a supply of higher education that a student faces upon high school exit. If higher education institutions are not evenly geographically distributed, then students will settle for courses readily available by the institution closest to them or the one that grants them admission. For example, [24] found that Spanish female college graduates have stronger family relations than males, which largely restricts their geographical mobility and has a negative effect on their educational choices and aspirations.

The conclusion of the study showed that students' high school experience explains up to half of the gender gap in STEM graduation rates in Italy and young girls were found to be less likely to choose courses with a focus on maths and technical skills if they came from homes where both parents were not in similar fields.

### **2.2 Solutions to bridging the gender gap**

Existing research poses that Women's under-representation in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) studies and careers is seen as a barrier to an

#### **Figure 2.**

*Share of women in STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) fields with STEM parents worldwide, as of 2016 [23].*

extensive and sufficient supply of STEM skills which is considered crucial to boosting economic and technological innovation and growth [25]. There has been an effort made to address this gap and under-representation. In addressing the gender gap from a policy perspective, [11] suggests early interventions targeting both female students and their parents because parents need awareness of the influence they have on their children's career choices. Intervention for female students alone might not be sufficient to fully address the STEM gender gap.

Mishel [26] highlights the existence of discrimination against women in the workforce and society's expectations of women to prioritize caring for the family above pursuing careers, therefore interrupting their work for family and household issues. With the demands of most STEM careers, most women might choose other careers outside of STEM to accommodate the flexibility of catering to family matters. If more organizations and institutions accommodated the demands of family life, more women might be encouraged into STEM fields. In addition to this, women are generally believed to be less likely to succeed, get promoted, and occupy leadership positions in sectors where there is male dominance [27]. It is also important to highlight that women who succeed despite these stereotypes usually experience negative reactions for not performing their socially prescribed duties which are usually family-related. These can lead women into low self-efficacy and self-imposed isolation which could later have more adverse effects on their personal and career journey [28].

In a study conducted across five European countries, 39 female staff in STEM fields were interviewed to know the best methods of bridging the gender gap in STEM, the content analysis provided 5 categories which were: modeling, encouragement, change of mindset, campaigns, teaching, policies, and preventing gender discrimination [29]. **Table 1** below shows the sub-category of each category.


*Addressing the Gender Gap in the STEM Field DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.114008*


#### **Table 1.**

*Categories and sub-categories of ways to bridge the gender gap in STEM fields.*

The categories and subcategories show that a collective effort is required to bridge the digital gap in STEM fields. It is not left to organizations alone, but educational institutions, parents, and government policies also have an impact on a student's decision to study a course or work in a field.
