Why do teen girls lose interest in science and technology?

On February 11th, this initiative is observed to help overcome the social and economic barriers hindering gender parity in technical careers. Since 2015, UN Women and UNESCO have used  this date to promote full and equal access for women and girls in science.

Globally, women represent 33.3 percent of those dedicated to scientific research, but on average, they receive a lower number of grants and scholarships than their male colleagues, and  represent just 12 percent of the members of the national academies of science, according to the  latest UN figures.

Furthermore, women make up 35 percent of students in science, mathematics, engineering and technology (STEM) disciplines worldwide. In Spain, the percentage of female STEM graduates per 1,000 inhabitants between the ages of 20 and 29 was 13 percent in 2020, compared to 32.6 percent for men, according to the latest INE figures from 2022. In the 2022-2023 academic year, women represented the majority of students enrolled in certain scientific disciplines related to health or biology, but only 14.6 percent of students in computer science and less than 30 percent in engineering programs such as telecommunications, aerospace, or industrial technologies, according to data from the Ministry of Education. In the European Union, women represent an average of 32.8 percent of STEM higher education graduates; a figure that only rose by 0.3 percent between 2020 and 2021 (the most recent analysis by Eurostat).

Despite the high level of demand for tech talent today, women make up only 28 percent percent of doctoral students in engineering and 40 percent in computer science globally, according to UNESCO (31.78 percent and 23 percent, respectively in Spain). In disciplines such artificial intelligence, just 22 percent of professionals are women. In the EU, although 52 percent of those working in science and technology are women, they represent only 41 percent of the total number of scientists and engineers. And in Spain, the percentage of women working in STEM fields out of the total number of employed women was 5.5 percent in 2022.

Education, stereotypes and expectations: unpacking the causes

Behind this disparity lie some gender stereotypes regarding the lower interest in science and technology among girls (interiorized from early childhood) or their supposed lower ability in STEM subjects. A study by NESET, an advisory network of experts from the European Commission that works on the social dimension of education and training, found that girls (both in secondary education and college) tend to have less confidence in their STEM performance than boys, even when their performance is better.

"Over the years, girls start to believe that the sciences are not for them, that they aren’t good at them, or that the sciences are boring. There are different reasons for this. I would point to three: women set higher standards for ourselves; there is a generalized bias about science (boring and hard), and a second bias, which is fortunately less common, against professions that are not considered feminine,” said Alicia Mancheño, a member of the Technovation Girls Advisory Board.

In the fight against these stereotypes, education plays a critical role, as girls start to move away from scientific fields throughout adolescence: a Microsoft study in the U.K. found that teen girls’ interest in scientific careers drops abruptly starting at the age of 16. One of the reasons given by a participant in the study is that toward the end of secondary school, the education system focuses on teaching students to pass tests, instead of promoting interest in science. Carmen López, the Head of Engineering at BBVA Spain, shares this view: “The education system does not emphasize the significance of scientific knowledge.”

Ongoing measures to promote the inclusion of women in the sciences

According to the Microsoft study mentioned earlier, other factors influence girls’ interest in STEM fields, such as having role models to follow, supportive parents and teachers and understanding how sciences are used in real life. The opinion of the experts reinforces these conclusions. “A key way to bridge the gender gap in technology is to provide platforms that empower and educate girls from an early age in their academic lives,” López said. "Technovation Girls [for which she is a mentor] is an outstanding example of this initiative. It is a global program that challenges girls between the ages of eight and 18 to develop mobile apps that solve community problems. By participating in this program, girls learn crucial skills in programming, problem solving, leadership and teamwork.”

Alicia Mancheño underscored how platforms like Power to Code (an ambassador for Technovation Girls in Madrid), "Learning applied to the real world helps to motivate girls and places technology in real-life contexts, rather than something abstract in classrooms. The girls receive guidance from voluntary mentors, women from the sector and students, providing those relatable role models the girls need to believe that technology is for girls.”

Beyond programs like this, Mancheño noted, "Families and the immediate environment play the biggest role, as this is where the so-called Pygmalion Effect or self-fulfilling prophecy takes place. If their parents and/or teachers make them believe that math is hard and science isn’t for them, girls will quickly abandon these subjects. On the other hand, if there is positive reinforcement that helps them envision themselves in a STEM profession, this will enhance their abilities and overcome the first obstacle.” Mancheño added that: “Institutions should improve the abilities and teaching skills of female teachers of these subjects. A good math or physics teacher who makes these subjects engaging can make a huge difference in the number of students who choose these careers.”

A goal that benefits everyone

As we are immersed in the fourth industrial revolution, "The massive inclusion of women in STEM roles would generate more wealth for society as a whole,” argued Alicia Mancheño of Technovation Girls. "In addition, given that these roles are better paid, it would help to bridge the salary gap and create an environment of greater economic independence, and therefore more freedom for women.”

"Promoting the participation of women in the STEM field not only helps to bridge the gender gap, it also helps to promote greater diversity of thought and creativity to solve complex problems. Organizations with diverse teams are more innovative and contribute to better corporate results,” Carmen López of BBVA recalled. “Diversity provides another way of doing things and different perspectives,” Mancheño agreed, adding: “This is especially true for the new environment of artificial intelligence: designing and training models that are neutral, inclusive and unbiased requires diverse talent in groups that control these models.”

STEM disciplines are the foundation of innovation and progress needed to overcome some of the greatest challenges facing humanity, such as climate change; improving quality of life for all people through advances in medicine, infrastructure, energy or mobility; and working toward the Sustainable Development Goals. Fully integrating female talent in this effort will benefit all of us the most.