8CIOReview | | FEBRUARY 2023IN MY OPINIONIn the U.S., women outpace their male counterparts when obtaining the most prosperous degrees. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, women earn nearly 60 percent of all bachelor's degrees, but only a fraction graduate with engineering and technology majors. However, only 20 percent of computer science and 22 percent of undergraduate engineering degrees in the U.S. are earned by women. This is a significant problem because women are missing out on rewarding, lucrative, and high-status careers. We need to change the culture of how we see professionals in these career fields. Often in popular culture, we find men playing the hero role by portraying the doctor, engineer, or scientist who saves the world. At the same time, the woman is typically type cast as the damsel in distress, airhead, or victim who needs saving. Women are often found to be the victims of violent crimes or the one who needs to be protected or taken care of by someone. Since the #MeToo Movement, more women are taking a stand for equality in various areas, but there's still more work to be done. Storylines in movies, television shows, advertising, and songs must reflect a stronger, smarter woman. The transformation of who you are, by the influence of culture, begins as early as the cradle. Clothing and toys are predetermined for children even before they get to decide what they like and want. When considering toys, books, clothing, and TV shows, we need to think about not stereotyping for gender. Instead of buying dolls or small kitchens for girls, parents or caregivers should consider purchasing an engineering kit, block connector set, or light-up activity board. BUILDING A PIPELINE OF WOMEN IN ENGINEERING AND COMPUTER SCIENCEBy Bia Hamed, Program Director of Digital Divas and Dudes K-12 STEM Outreach, Eastern Michigan UniversityBia Hamed
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