Reflections on gender disparity in STEM higher education programs: Perspectives and strategies

Abstract

STEM has been broadly perceived as a vital driver of sustainable development worldwide. However, women remain underrepresented in STEM fields despite decades of effort to bridge the gender gap. The purpose of this article is to understand of the underlying factors that contribute to gender disparity in STEM and suggest effective interventions. Specifically, I seek to address the following questions: what factors contribute to gender disparity in graduate STEM program? What strategies can be adopted to address the issue?This paper examines fifty articles published from 2006-2016 that had women or gender and/or science as a central part of their studies to identify institutional and socio-cultural perspectives used to explain the situation and identify strategies that have been used to overcome the problem. Findings suggest that the factors that contribute to women underrepresentation in STEM are complex and numerous, calling for multi-faceted strategies to move the field forward.