Another major study published in the journal Science has brought fresh data to understanding of why gender gap in STEM fields has not changed despite growing awareness and attempts to address the issue. The study was carried out for five years in 50 countries and gives a rather bleak picture of women’s plight in these male-dominated professions.

According to the study conducted by Dr. Emily Chen of Stanford University, the representation of women in STEM careers was compared across the universities, research institutions, and private companies based on the data collected at different stages of their career. The study reveals that there has been a slight increase in the number of women pursuing STEM courses at the undergraduate level but the gap is even bigger at the postgraduate level and in the workplace.

The study found out that women now form about 45% of STEM undergraduates in the various countries as compared to about 35% a decade ago. That being said, this representation is only at 30% at the doctoral level, and has a mere 15% at the senior research positions and executives especially in STEM fields.

According to Dr. Chen, there are multiple reasons for such a situation known as the “leaky pipeline”. ”We are witnessing such things as bias in the process of recruitment and promotions, the absence of adequate mentorship in organizations, and organizational cultures that are quite hostile to women,” she says. Another important aspect that is revealed in the study is the burden of family care that negatively affects women’s career advancement in STEM.

It is interesting to note that the authors recorded significant differences in the distribution of gender across the various subfields of STEM. Biology, chemistry and other sciences have reached near gender equity at the undergraduate level, but engineering and computer science are still far behind; women account for less than a quarter of students in many programs.

The study also looked at the impact of various campaigns that have been set to enhance females’ representation in STEM. Some programs designed for girls at the K-12 level were effective in increasing interest in STEM subjects, but the effectiveness of such programs on career choices in the long term is rather small. This research shows that more successful interventions are those that are long-term and involve mentorship for women throughout their working years.

As a consequence of the study, most universities and firms have declared new measures towards the elimination of the gender gap. For instance, MIT has made a commitment to increase the representations of women faculty in engineering departments by a factor of two in the next ten years. Google, a tech company, has recently unveiled $50 million fund to empower women in the technology industry through scholarships, internships and leadership.

But others argue that these attempts, however noble, will not be enough to redress the cultural and structural problems that contribute to the gender gap. According to Dr. Maria Rodriguez, a sociologist and a gender and work scholar, more radical transformations are required. Instead, she says: “We have to start to rethink the culture of STEM. ” Ultimately, the problem is not about the number of women that are being hired, but the conditions that are provided that would allow for the women to progress in their careers.

The study also focuses on the economic consequences of the gender differences in STEM. As it stands, most countries are struggling to meet the demand of skilled employees in technology and engineering disciplines, and therefore, excluding women from the workforce is a wasted potential. The researchers suggest that the reduction of the gender gap in STEM could generate several trillions of dollars for global economy within the next ten years.

While policymakers and leaders of the industry try to make sense of the outcomes of the study, the society has come to realize that closing the gender gap in STEM is a complex issue. This includes addressing such issues as the lack of awareness of bias, provision of family friendly policies, and questioning the past assumptions about who should engage in STEM careers.

This study has sparked a new round of discussions on gender parity in science and technology and business and other sectors and with many demanding that change be accelerated. In the study, Dr. Chen says, “The talent is there. The question is whether we have the will to get rid of the barriers that are deterring women in STEM. The future of innovation and growth may hinge on that. ”