AAUW

AAUW's Position on Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Education

Since its founding in 1881, the American Association of University Women has been committed to making the dream of higher education a reality for women. AAUW's 2009-2011 Public Policy Program reaffirms our commitment to "a strong system of public education that promotes gender fairness, equity, and diversity….and advocates increased support for, and access to, higher education for women and other disadvantaged populations."1

The shortage of American scientists threatens our nation's ability to compete and innovate in the coming years, especially as the outsourcing of jobs to, and importing of science from, other nations continues to grow. By 2014, the U.S. will have added more than one million additional information technology jobs to the workforce.2 However, women still lag far behind in earning computer technology degrees and working in computer technology-related professions. High school girls represent only 17 percent of computer science Advanced Placement (AP) test takers.3

College-educated women earned only 18 percent of computer and information sciences bachelor's degrees (down from 37 percent of computer science degrees in 1985).4 In 2006, women earned only 21 percent of doctorate degrees in computer science.5 Overall, women comprise 24.8 percent of computer and mathematical professionals, down from 27 percent in 2006.6

AAUW's Tech Savvy (2000) and Women at Work (2003) have documented the troubling shortage of girls and women preparing to work in STEM fields. In order to close this gap, AAUW supports efforts that train teachers to encourage girls and other underrepresented groups to pursue STEM careers.

AAUW supports promoting and strengthening science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education, especially for girls and other underrepresented populations. These efforts will help increase America's competitiveness by reducing gender barriers that deter women from pursuing academic and career goals in STEM fields.

For more information, call 202/785-7793 or e-mail VoterEd@aauw.org.

AAUW Public Policy and Government Relations Department


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1 American Association of University Women. (June 2009). 2009-11 AAUW Public Policy Program. Retrieved July 9, 2009, from http://www.aauw.org/advocacy/issue_advocacy/principles_priorities.cfm.

2 National Center for Women and Information Technology. (2007). NCWIT Scorecard 2007: A Report on the Status of Women in Information Technology. Retrieved June 26, 2009, from http://www.ncwit.org/pdf/2007_Scorecard_Web.pdf.

3 National Center for Women & Information Technology. (2009). By the Numbers. Retrieved June 22, 2009, from http://www.ncwit.org/pdf/BytheNumbers09.pdf.

4Ibid.

5 National Science Foundation. Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities in Science and Engineering. Table 2. http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/wmpd/pdf/tabf-2.pdf

6 Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2008). Current Population Survey, Table 11. Employed persons by detailed occupation, sex, race, and Hispanic or Latino ethnicity. Retrieved June 29, 2009, from http://www.bls.gov/cps/cpsaat11.pdf.