Diversity in STEM Essay Example
As of now the STEM field is dominated primarily by one demographic, the white man. With over 60% of the field being dominated by this demographic, minorities such as women and people of color are discouraged from entering the field, for fear of not being able to succeed and being overlooked by their peers1. This indistinguishability also leads to less advancements within the field because there are not diverse backgrounds, problem solving skills, etc. So, diversity within STEM is key to the advancement of not only the STEM field but that of society because it allows for many different viewpoints on the same issue, improving problem solving.
One example in which the lack of diversity has hurt a large group of people is within the sunscreen industry. Currently, sunscreen companies must get their products approved by the FDA before releasing them to the public. However, the FDA is known for being slow at recommending new ingredients, which leads many sunscreen companies to use a compound called zinc oxide, which when applied leaves an opaque white caste on the skin2. This is not a problem for the average white American however, people of color are deterred from buying this product because of the caste it leaves on their skin. Although, white scientists do not try to exclude people of color from products, they do not share the same experiences/genes as them, so they are not able to know how to help them. Having more minority voices in the STEM field would help to ensure that products such as sunscreen are more inclusive and help more than just the average white man.
To increase diversity in STEM many institutions such as the NSF and NIH grant money to academic institutions to bring in more people of color and other minorities. However, these endorsements have increased the risk of academic mismatch among people of color because academic institutions are accepting students below the average grade threshold to meet their minority quota3. For example, a study done at a top law school showed that over 50% of the African American law students (many of whom were admitted through affirmative action) were in the bottom 10% of their class and had a 19.3% dropout rate compared to that of their white peers, 8.2%4. Another way in which minority representation in STEM could theoretically be improved is if the majority demographic were to speak up about the lack of diversity within the field. However, many do not because of the fear of differing fields within the community and not wanting to speak on such a controversial issue. In theory, these methods would help to bring diversity into the work field, but it hurts the minorities that come into the field or does not help at all.
As an alternative to the inadequate solutions previously presented, there is a long-term change that will ensure a more diverse future for STEM, and it starts as early as kindergarten. Those who work in primary and secondary education must learn to encourage those who are minorities to investigate STEM. One way to do this is to hire more teachers and advisors that represent their students, such as people of color. One study shows that even one same race teacher can improve standardized test scores, attendance, and disciplinary issues among students of color5. Through the implementation of inclusive criteria and encouraging minorities to explore the field of STEM, the future of the field will be much more diverse and will be more innovative.
