AAUW: Breaking through Barriers in STEM for Women and Girls

The latest statistics provided by the American Association of University Women (AAUW) and the National Girls Collaborative Project confirm that women are severely underrepresented in STEM fields. Factors that contribute to this issue are discouragement of girls to participate and demonstrate activities in the science classrooms and a lack of representation of women faculty role models in the STEM disciplines.

Through an AAUW initiative, women student leaders from universities and colleges across the nation have been working to tear down the barriers that girls and young women face in STEM in order to work towards greater equality in these male-dominated fields.

AAUW’s initiative, the Campus Action Project (CAP) gives student leaders and campus faculty the opportunity to design and implement effective programs geared toward girls and young women that enhance campus offerings, promote leadership, and improve academic and career outcomes. Each year, a mission-based topic that the projects will focus on is announced, and AAUW has just announced their 2009-2010 CAP topic: Breaking through Barriers in STEM for Women and Girls.

Beginning in September 2009, university and college CAP teams will have the opportunity to apply for AAUW CAP grants to help develop and implement their project ideas. The objective of these CAPs is to help girls build their confidence and provide them with the role models and resources they need in order to achieve their educational and economic goals in the STEM fields.

Learn more about the AAUW’s CAP initiative.