Today's Date: March 29, 2024
Jamieson Wellness Publishes Inaugural Sustainability Impact Report   •   Fosun Management on 2023 Annual Results: Focusing on Core Industries with Established Advantages   •   Midea Group releases its first-ever ESG brand story with an unexpected VIP visit highlighting its commitment to sustainability.   •   Parkland Corporation Announces the Results of the 2024 Annual General Meeting of Shareholders   •   Re:wild and Colossal Biosciences team up to leverage revolutionary technology to save critically endangered species on the brink   •   Anaergia Announces Delay in the Filing of Its Audited Financial Statements and Related Disclosures   •   Coachella Concerned That People Have Sex, Says AHF   •   VIRGIN HOTELS CHAMPIONS INCLUSIVE TRAVEL FOR NEURODIVERSE TRAVELERS   •   Make-A-Wish and celebrity wish granters announce goal to recruit 1 million people to become "WishMakers"   •   Empire State Realty Trust Receives WELL Health-Safety Leadership Award; Becomes Among the First Commercial Office and Multifamil   •   National University Receives 2024 Military Friendly® Gold Designation   •   Amerex Group Unveils Red Carter Swimwear's Revitalized Collection   •   Carnegie Learning Named 2024 SIIA CODiE Award Finalist for Best Educational Game and Best AI Implementation in Ed Tech   •   Anaergia Announces Escrow Closing of Second Tranche of the Strategic Investment   •   Visit Visalia Recognizes Autism Awareness Month in April   •   Chosgo K23: One of the Best Bluetooth Hearing Aids for Seniors   •   e.l.f. Cosmetics Debuts TikTok Shop Super Brand Day   •   Sypher Secures Strategic Partnership with FAIA to Fuel Growth   •   Equalpride Partners with TransLash Media for Trans Day of Visibility, Amplifying Voices of Black Trans Femmes in the Arts   •   YMCA of the USA Partners With Old Spice To Increase High School Graduation Among Boys And Young Men Of Color Through Mentorship
Bookmark and Share

Minority Scientists Discouraged from Pursuing STEM Careers, National Survey Shows

 

 

 

PITTSBURGH----Significant numbers of today’s women and underrepresented minority chemists and chemical engineers (40 percent) say they were discouraged from pursuing a STEM career (science, technology, engineering or mathematics) at some point in their lives, according to a new Bayer Corporation survey.

“On the contrary, they are the kinds of larger, external socio-cultural and economic forces that students have no control over. As students, they cannot change the fact that they do not have access to quality science and math education in their schools. But adults can. And we must.”

U.S. colleges are cited by them as the leading place in the American education system where discouragement happens (60 percent) and college professors as the individuals most likely responsible for the discouragement (44 percent).

The U.S. K-12 education system falls short, too. On average, the survey respondents give it a “D” for the job it does to encourage minorities to study STEM subjects and a “D+” for girls.

The Bayer Facts of Science Education XIV survey polled 1,226 female, African-American, Hispanic and American Indian chemists and chemical engineers about their childhood, academic and workplace experiences that play a role in attracting and retaining women and underrepresented minorities in STEM fields.

“If we want to achieve true diversity in America’s STEM workforce, we must first understand the root causes of underrepresentation and the ongoing challenges these groups face,” said Greg Babe, President and CEO, Bayer Corporation. “We want to knock down barriers. If we can do that, we’ll be able to develop the attitudes, behaviors, opportunities and resources that lead to success.”

Other major findings include:

● Regardless of gender, race or ethnicity, interest in science begins in early childhood. Nearly 60 percent of the respondents say they first became interested in science by age 11. This parallels the findings of a 1998 Bayer Facts survey of American Ph.D. scientists, which included white men. In that survey, six-in-ten also reported interest in science by age 11.

● More than three-quarters (77 percent) say significant numbers of women and underrepresented minorities are missing from the U.S. STEM workforce today because they were not identified, encouraged or nurtured to pursue STEM studies early on.

● The top three causes/contributors to underrepresentation in STEM include lack of quality science and math education programs in poorer school districts (75 percent), persistent stereotypes that say STEM isn’t for girls or minorities (66 percent) and financial issues related to the cost of education (53 percent), according to the survey respondents.

● They say science teachers play a larger role than parents in stimulating and sustaining interest in science. During the elementary school years, 70 percent of the respondents say teachers have the most influence. During high school, 88 percent say teachers do.

● Nearly two-thirds (62 percent) of those polled say underrepresentation exists in their company’s/organizations/institution’s workforce.

● Leading workplace barriers for the female and minority chemists and chemical engineers include managerial bias (40 percent), company/organizational/institutional bias (38 percent) and a lack of professional development (36 percent), no/little access to networking opportunities (35%), and a lack of promotional/advancement opportunities (35 percent).

● Nearly three-quarters (70 percent) of the chemists/chemical engineers say it is harder for women to succeed in their field than it is for men, while more than two-thirds (67 percent) think it is more difficult for minorities to succeed than it is for non-minorities.

● Across the board, respondents give their companies/organizations/institutions a “C” for having women and underrepresented minorities in senior positions to serve as role models and mentors for the younger employees.

“This and previous Bayer Facts surveys confirm something I’ve long known – that interest in science is genderless and colorless,” said Dr. Mae C. Jemison, astronaut, medical doctor, chemical engineer and Bayer’s longtime Making Science Make Sense® spokesperson. “All children have an innate interest in science and the world around them. But for many children, that interest hits roadblocks along an academic system that is still not blind to gender or color.

“These roadblocks have nothing to do with intellect, innate ability or talent,” said Dr. Jemison. “On the contrary, they are the kinds of larger, external socio-cultural and economic forces that students have no control over. As students, they cannot change the fact that they do not have access to quality science and math education in their schools. But adults can. And we must.”

Survey Methodology

The survey, conducted by Pittsburgh-based research firm Campos Inc., polled a total of 1,226 Caucasian women, Asian women, African-American men, African-American women, Hispanic men, Hispanic women, American Indian men and American Indian women. For each group, a minimum number of interviews were established to determine any statistically significant differences among the groups. This was done to reveal commonalities and differences of experiences among the groups. Based on this sample size, the statistical reliability achieved is +/-3 percent margin of error at a 95 percent confidence level.

About Bayer Corporation

Bayer Corporation, headquartered in Pittsburgh, is a subsidiary of Bayer AG, an international health care, nutrition and high-tech materials group based in Leverkusen, Germany. The company’s products and services are designed to benefit people and improve their quality of life. At the same time Bayer creates value through innovation, growth and high earning power. The Corporation is committed to the principles of sustainable development and to its role as a socially and ethically responsible corporate citizen. Economy, ecology and social responsibility are corporate policy objectives of equal rank. In North America, Bayer had 2009 net sales of approximately 7.7 billion euros (about $10.7 billion) and employed 16,300 at year end. For more information, go to www.bayerus.com.

Formalized in 1995, Making Science Make Sense is Bayer’s national award-winning initiative to advance science literacy through hands-on, inquiry-based science learning, employee volunteerism and public education.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release may contain forward-looking statements based on current assumptions and forecasts made by Bayer Group or subgroup management. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors could lead to material differences between the actual future results, financial situation, development or performance of the company and the estimates given here. These factors include those discussed in Bayer’s public reports which are available on the Bayer website at www.bayer.com. The company assumes no liability whatsoever to update these forward-looking statements or to conform them to future events or developments.

Note for Journalists: Visit the online press room http://bayerfactsofscience.online-pressroom.com/ for all of the Bayer Facts of Science Education survey materials. The site contains the survey’s Executive Summary, related side bar stories, survey participant quote sheet, a link to past Bayer Facts surveys, images and b-roll footage.

Contacts

Bayer Corporation
Bryan Iams, 412-777-5200
E-mail: bryan.iams.b@bayer.com

 


STORY TAGS: minority, scientist, discouraged, stem, career, national survey, medicine, chemistry, chemists, chemical, black radio network, minority news, science, technology, engineering or mathematics, bayer corporation, discrimination, racism, black radio network,

Video

White House Live Stream
LIVE VIDEO EVERY SATURDAY
alsharpton Rev. Al Sharpton
9 to 11 am EST
jjackson Rev. Jesse Jackson
10 to noon CST


Video

LIVE BROADCASTS
Sounds Make the News ®
WAOK-Urban
Atlanta - WAOK-Urban
KPFA-Progressive
Berkley / San Francisco - KPFA-Progressive
WVON-Urban
Chicago - WVON-Urban
KJLH - Urban
Los Angeles - KJLH - Urban
WKDM-Mandarin Chinese
New York - WKDM-Mandarin Chinese
WADO-Spanish
New York - WADO-Spanish
WBAI - Progressive
New York - WBAI - Progressive
WOL-Urban
Washington - WOL-Urban

Listen to United Natiosns News