The “M” in STEM does not only stand for “men”
Noor Memarzadeh, Center Spread Editor
It is no secret that the overwhelming majority in STEM, or in other words, the fields of Science Technology, Engineering and Mathematics are male. Even with the plethora of opportunities available for women to get involved in STEM clubs and careers, there are still feelings of doubt and hesitation some women feel when competing or working in an environment made up of mostly men. Here at Samo, there are numerous student-led STEM clubs and teams such as Science Olympiad and Mathletes. Despite the encouragement these clubs give to all different types of students to join their clubs, there is always a disproportionate ratio between the male and female counterparts.
Being a woman interested in STEM is daunting for many. In a 2019 American Community Service Survey it was concluded that out of the 10.8M people, age 16+ employed in STEM operations, just 26.7 percent of them are female. Whether it’s going to a team tryout or enrolling in an advanced STEM class, it is not uncommon to be one of the few girls in the room. This leaves many girls with a feeling of uncertainty leading them to sometimes question their worthiness to even be in that environment. And in some cases, female students are not treated equally by their male peers, making it hard for them to stay motivated in their field of interest.
Samo junior Shania Ghassemi (’23) joined the Samo mathlete team as a freshmen and has worked her way up to the role of co-captain of the team. From the start, she remembers being one of the only girls in the tryout room, one of the only girls that made the team and now being the one female captain working alongside two males. Ghassemi has had to experience being a female captain to a team where 27 out of the 37 members of the team are male.
“It has felt empowering but often intimidating. But, here at Samo I don’t feel discouraged, seeing as the two other co-captains of Mathletes are great people to work with...we also have the support of our club teacher, who leads by example as a strong and intelligent woman.” Ghassemi said.
The feeling of empowerment explained by Ghassemi is shared by Science Olympiad co-captain Emma Cao (’22). This is her second year as one of the captains for Science Olympiad and she has felt a lot of support from her community.
“In my two years leading Science Olympiad I never felt that the team members treated me any differently from how they treat my male co-president. Being part of the minority has never felt discouraging; rather I find it empowering because I know I’m contributing to a future of diversity and inclusivity in STEM,” Cao said.
Aside from the unequal ratio of males to females in STEM environments and the potential discomfort which comes with that, as Ghassemi and Cao mentioned, there is a feeling of empowerment that comes from being a woman in those environments. Both captains encourage the girls of Samo to join STEM clubs such as Mathletes and Science Olympiad and to not be discouraged by the lack of females in these areas.
