New research from the University of Washington and the University of Houston found that gender stereotypes around computer science and engineering for kids can start in first grade and stretch through high school. While disappointing, it’s not entirely surprising. The gender diversity of high school students taking AP computer science classes, for example, has increased over recent years, but female students still make up fewer than 30% of those taking the AP exam. In studies that surveyed more than 2,200 kids, 51% of the children and teens said that girls are less interested than boys in computer science, and 63% of them said that girls are less interested in engineering. When asked if girls are more interested than boys in computer science, only 14% said that was the case, and only 9% said girls are more interested in engineering. The results suggest that the efforts to attract more girls to computer science and engineering should not only focus on showing girls that they can be intellectually successful in these areas. The efforts need to convince them that they want to try it in the first place, that these are subjects that are appealing to girls like themselves.

Whether you have overbooked yourself, realized you have a conflict, or otherwise can’t or don’t want to participate in a project, it’s essential to uncommit gracefully. Setting boundaries respectfully will keep your reputation intact and your relationships strong. Melody Wilding will explain how you can be more assertive and confident, especially while juggling the unique pressures that make it challenging for women to succeed.

Come learn about Lien’s journey and the lessons that have led to her work on challenging the status quo and broadening participation in computer science education, including her work with the Constellation Center which she founded in order to advance equitable computer science education through a comprehensive approach. Lien Diaz is a national leader in innovative professional development practices and a crusader for equity in STEM and computing education. On December 8, she joins NCWIT for a Conversation for Change. Don’t miss this powerful event!

Have you checked out Scientific American's new podcast Lost Women of Science yet? Each season will uncover the life and work of a different woman in science. "We’re revisiting the historical record one extraordinary scientist at a time," says host Katie Hafner. A new podcast is on a mission to retrieve unsung female scientists from oblivion.

More women than ever before are pursuing careers in STEM, yet women in science remain vastly underrepresented in the STEM sector, particularly in leadership positions. The main leak in the STEM pipeline coincides with the time when women are starting a family, and recent research shows that new mothers are nearly 3 times more likely to leave their STEM careers than new fathers or their childless peers. COVID-19 has magnified these longstanding inequalities and action must be taken to remain women in STEM careers. Dr. Isabel Torres will discuss the invisible structural barriers that silently push women in STEM away from their career track and explain why motherhood should be at the center of discussions and interventions to close the gender gap in STEM.

From September to October 2022, TechWomen will bring 108 women in STEM from 21 countries in Africa, Central and South Asia, and the Middle East to the San Francisco Bay Area to participate in a professional mentorship and exchange program. TechWomen provides participants access to networks, resources and knowledge from Silicon Valley and beyond. Are you a future Emerging Leader? Join our community of over 800 fellows transforming the world of STEM and empowering women and girls everywhere. Find out more, and apply by January 5, 2022.

Alphabet Inc.’s Google, Twitter Inc., Snap Inc. and about two dozen other major technology companies are banding together to focus on improving workplace diversity and strengthening the pipeline of underrepresented workers in Silicon Valley. The Catalyze Tech coalition, which was announced Thursday, aims to hold its members accountable for improving the representation and experience of women, people of color, first-generation college graduates and the LGBTQ community in the tech industry. Thirty-one companies and a group of nonprofits and researchers signed on to a 116-page report outlining their commitments to overcoming disparities in the tech sector. To join the effort, the companies agreed to follow four main recommendations, such as recognizing diversity as a business imperative and working to improve the pipeline of young talent. They also have to consider equity concerns throughout their vast businesses, including suppliers, product design and hiring practices. The companies are trying to build on the progress made by corporate America last year in the wake of widespread outrage over a police officer’s murder of George Floyd. Since then, dozens of companies have pledged to hire more minorities and promote more of them into management roles. Some firms have reached out to historically Black colleges and universities while others allocated billions in support of programs to improve the lives of Black people.

Marie A. Bernard, MD, is the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Chief Officer for Scientific Workforce Diversity (COSWD). As COSWD, she leads the NIH’s program to build the science of workforce diversity, to disseminate that science, and to act on the evidence. Dr. Bernard also co-leads NIH’s UNITE initiative to end structural racism. You can read about her vision for diversity, equity, and inclusion in science and about how she’s using her unique role to catalyze institutional culture change.

All of the 2021 Nobel Prizes in science were awarded to men. That’s a return to business as usual after a couple of good years for female laureates. In 2020, Emmanuelle Charpentier and Jennifer Doudna won the chemistry prize for their work on the CRISPR gene editing system, and Andrea Ghez shared in the physics prize for her discovery of a supermassive black hole. 2019 was another year of all male laureates, after biochemical engineer Frances Arnold won in 2018 for chemistry and Donna Strickland received the 2018 Nobel Prize in physics. Strickland and Ghez were only the third and fourth female physicists to get a Nobel, following Marie Curie in 1903 and Maria Goeppert-Mayer 60 years later. The rarity of female Nobel laureates raises questions about women’s exclusion from education and careers in science and the undervaluing of women’s contributions on science teams. Women researchers have come a long way over the past century, but there’s overwhelming evidence that women remain underrepresented in the STEM fields of science, technology, engineering and math. Studies have shown that those women who persist in these careers face explicit and implicit barriers to advancement. Bias is most intense in fields that are dominated by men, where women lack a critical mass of representation and are often viewed as tokens or outsiders. This bias is even more intense for transgender women and nonbinary individuals.

AWIS is celebrating 50 years of advocating for women in science on Thursday, October 28 from 2-3 p.m. EDT. Join them for a virtual program featuring keynote speaker Dr. Marie A. Bernard, Chief Officer for Scientific Workforce Diversity at the NIH.