Women in STEM: Inspiring College and Career Paths

Famous Women in STEM

Ada Lovelace

The first of our famous women in science is Ada Lovelace. Born in 1815 to Lord Byron, a famous British poet, Ada Lovelace is known as the first computer programmer. She was a mathematician who created a program for the first digital computer alongside Charles Babbage. She was the first to express the idea that the computer could have potential outside of just computing numbers for mathematics purposes. 

Elizabeth Blackwell

The next of our famous women in STEM is Elizabeth Blackwell. Born in 1821, Elizabeth Blackwell was the first woman in the US to receive an MD. Blackwell went on to establish the New York Infirmary for Women and Children in 1857. She also spent her career studying and emphasizing the potential for women in the medical profession. She published multiple books to inspire future women in STEM and women in the medical field.

Ana Roqué de Duprey

The next on our list of famous women in science is Ana Roqué de Duprey. Born in Puerto Rico in 1853, Ana Roqué de Duprey started her own school in her living room at only 13 years old. She even wrote a geography textbook for her students. This was only the first school that she founded, and she eventually created the College of Mayagüez, which later became the Mayagüez Campus of the University of Puerto Rico. She was an accomplished botanist, who spent 30 years writing a book on Caribbean plants, which despite being the most comprehensive study at the time, was not accepted by the largely male field of botany. 

Lise Mietner

Next on our list of famous women in STEM is Lise Mietner who was born in 1878.  Mietner is known as the “mother of nuclear power.” She worked with chemist Otto Hahn, and the pair discovered nuclear fission. Though Hahn went on to win the Nobel Prize for their discovery in 1944, Mietner received no recognition. Because of this snub, many called this prize “the Nobel Mistake.”

Florence Seibert

Number five on our list of famous women in STEM is Florence Seibert. Born in 1897, Florence Seibert was a biochemist and a professor. Seibert developed a sySTEM that became the basis of the test for Tuberculosis. The test is still in use today.

Grace Hopper

The next of our famous women in science is Grace Hopper. Born in 1906, Hopper is known as the “Queen of Code.” After studying mathematics, and earning a Master’s and Doctorate at Yale, Hopper joined the Navy during WWII. She helped build Mark I, one of the earliest computers used during the war. 

Rachel Carson

Next on our list of famous women in science is Rachel Carson. Born in 1907, Rachel Carson was a marine biologist and environmentalist. Her groundbreaking book Silent Spring is credited with starting the modern environmentalism movement and waking Americans up to how man-made climate change was affecting the planet.

Chien-Shiung Wu

The next famous woman in science is Chien-Shiung Wu. Born in 1912, Wu is called the First Lady of Physics. Wu was born in China and later pursued graduate studies in the US. She worked on the Manhattan Project at Columbia, and after WWII went on to disprove a law of symmetry in physics. This was a major discovery. However, when the work was recognized with a Nobel Prize in 1957, her two male colleagues were awarded the prize—and her work went unrecognized. Sound familiar? 

Mollie Orshansky

Next on our list of famous women in STEM is Mollie Orshansky. Born in 1915 in the Bronx, NY, Orshanksy was a food economist and statistician. With the statistical guidelines she developed, Orshanksy changed the way that the US government defines and assesses poverty. This work allowed the government to evaluate how new policies were affecting poor populations. 

Katherine Johnson

The last famous woman in STEM on our list is Katherine Johnson. Born in 1918, Katherine Johnson was the first African-American space scientist and mathematician. Johnson worked at NASA and was invaluable in the Space Race. She calculated the trajectory for Alan Shepherd, the first American in space.

STEM Fields for Women

Social science occupations

Unlike other STEM fields, women in STEM make up a majority of people working in social sciences—64%. These occupations include roles like clinical and counseling psychologists, school psychologists, and sociologists. All of these roles require another degree in addition to a Bachelor’s.

Life science occupations

While working in life sciences, women in STEM are more likely to find other women coworkers. For two life sciences occupations, natural science managers and medical scientists, women make up over 50% of the workforce. 

Mathematical science occupations

Almost 47% of professionals working in mathematical science occupations are women. In two fields, women comprise over 40% of the employees: operations research analysts, who work in many fields like health care, logistics, or business, and statisticians. Both of these roles apply to many different contexts, and statisticians generally require at least a master level education. 

Physical science occupations

In the physical sciences, women in STEM make up 41% of the workforce. If you’re looking for a job where you might be more likely to find a woman coworker, note that chemists and materials scientists are 49% women, and environmental scientists and specialists are 41% women. However, women in STEM are still underrepresented in the physical sciences. 

Computer occupations

In computer occupations, women in STEM only account for 27% of the workforce. However, there are some jobs within this field where you’re more likely to find other women in STEM: computer sySTEMs analysts (also known as sySTEMs architects), software quality assurance analysts, and web and interface design. 

Engineering occupations

Engineering has the lowest rates of women in STEM, with only 15% of professionals in the engineering field being women. Among engineers, there is one job that has the highest rate of women in STEM: environmental engineering. These engineers address problems of sustainability, like water and air quality, pollution, and waste disposal.

5 Contemporary Female STEM Role Models

Brittany Wenger

As a high school student, Brittany Wenger created an AI software that detected and diagnosed breast cancer. The software is called Cloud4Cancer and was tested in hospitals nationwide. She then studied at Duke and was on the Times 30 under 30 list in 2013. Wenger is now a pediatrician. 

Koral Singh

Singh is an engineer at Google and was shocked when her young daughter told her that only boys were engineers. Singh teamed up with fellow female engineers at Google to write a picture book to inspire young girls and children of color to become engineers. The book profits will be donated to charities aimed at increasing the rates of women in STEM fields.

Xyla Foxlin

After years of being the only person in a dress at her robotics competitions, Xyla started a YouTube channel as a college student originally called “Beauty and the Bolt.” She started the channel by teaching people how to use power tools and explaining to viewers how they can be “makers.” According to Xyla, she’s trying to be the female STEM role model she never had growing up, who can embrace her femininity and also pursue a scientific career.

Emily Calandrelli

The host and executive producer for a scientific-education television network and correspondent on Bill Nye Saves the World, Calandrelli is dedicated to ushering in the next generation of women in STEM fields. She’s also writing a chapter book series about an 8-year-old girl who uses science to solve problems.

Tarika Barret

Tamika Barret is the CEO of Girls Who Code, an organization aiming to close the gender gap in tech. According to Girls Who Code, they’re “building the world’s largest pipeline of future female engineers.” Barret began her career as a community organizer and educator. She is a testament to how many different paths there are for women in STEM.

Top 4 Majors for Women in STEM

1. Psychology

Psychology is a social science and can lead to many careers such as  becoming a clinical or a research psychologist. Women make up at least 70% of graduates in all psychology degrees. 

2. Biological Science

Women receive over 60% of bachelor’s and master’s degrees in biological science. Majoring in biology can prepare you for various careers, including medicine–it can even be part of a pre-med track. 

3. Engineering

As we’ve discussed, unfortunately, women do not make up a high percentage of engineers. Indeed women make up only around 20% of engineering graduates. But, engineering is one of the best college majors for future earning, so don’t be afraid to pursue an engineering degree.

4. Math

The percentage of women in math is around 40%, which isn’t too bad! There are many fields within math, like applied mathematics and statistics, that women in STEM can choose to pursue.

Best STEM Schools for Women

1. Yale University

Located in New Haven, Connecticut, Yale is an Ivy League School ranked #5 among national universities. Yale offers women in STEM scholarships such as the Yale College First-Year Summer Research Fellowship in the Sciences & Engineering, which funds a student to conduct a research project over the summer. 

2. Harvard University

Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Harvard is ranked #3 nationally. Harvard is also ranked #1 for biological sciences, a strong field for women in STEM, as well as biochemistry and cell biology. If you’re already thinking about postgrad plans during your college admissions process, Boston is a great city to pursue biotech. So, if you want to study anything biotech-related, some of the best college majors and best career opportunities are at Harvard.

3. Princeton University

Located in Princeton, NJ, Princeton University is ranked #1 nationally. The Princeton Association of Women in STEM offers mentorship to women in STEM transitioning from high school to college—especially in their STEM courses, which are known to be very challenging. Princeton is also on our list of the best colleges for computer science, which is one of the best college majors at Princeton.

4. University of Pennsylvania

Located in Philadelphia, PA, UPenn is ranked #6 nationally. UPenn is also ranked #1 in business programs, some of which can have STEM elements, and #1 for nursing, which is a major and a career with a high percentage of women. Penn’s engineering school is 39% women, higher than the national average.

5. Duke University

Ranked #7 in National Universities and located in Durham, North Carolina, Duke is known as an honorary Ivy. Computer science is Duke’s fastest-growing major, while enrollment in humanities majors has declined. Duke has a number of clubs for women in STEM, including Sisters in STEM, a group for Black women in STEM at the graduate level.

Top STEM Women’s Colleges

Barnard College

Located in NYC, Barnard is part of Columbia University, offering students the best of both worlds. With access to Columbia’s research facilities, Barnard students can live and study with other women while also having access to the STEM offerings of a larger research institution. 

Bryn Mawr College

Ranked #30 among liberal arts colleges, Bryn Mawr is located in the suburbs of Philadelphia. Bryn Mawr has a history of STEM excellence, especially in Physics. It is also invested in women in STEM scholarships and programs like STEMLA, which selects limited-income fellows for a pre-college program and continued mentorship during their four years at Bryn Mawr.

Smith College

Ranked #16 in liberal arts universities, Smith is located in Northampton, MA. Nearly half of all Smith graduates pursue science majors and STEM majors, which is slightly higher than the national average of 42%. 

Spelman College

An HCBU, Spelman offers a fulfilling experience for Black women in STEM. For women looking for diverse female STEM role models, Spelman provides a look into excellence in STEM fields for historically underrepresented populations. Spelman is ranked #39 in liberal arts colleges and is located in Atlanta, Georgia. 

Wellesley College

Located in a suburb of Boston, Wellesley, MA, Wellesley just opened a new science center to promote STEM studies at the college. According to the school’s president, compared to other liberal arts colleges, Wellesley educates the highest number of women who go on to receive PhDs in STEM fields. Wellesley is ranked #4 in liberal arts colleges.

5 Scholarships for Women in STEM

1. Women in Technology Scholarship

These women in STEM scholarships award $2,500 to women going into computer science or a related field. You must be enrolled in or accepted to a school at the time of the award. The deadline for applications is March 31.

2. Zonta International Women in STEM Scholarships

These women in STEM scholarships award $5,000 to women pursuing a STEM degree around the world. You can apply for these women in STEM scholarships any time after your sophomore year of college, including in graduate school.

3. Society of Women Engineers Scholarships

The Society of Women Engineers has offered women in STEM scholarships totaling 1.5M to women around the globe. You only have to fill out one application and are considered for all eligible scholarships. 

4. Microsoft Women Scholarship

Microsoft’s women in STEM scholarships are open to women and non-binary high school students looking to pursue a STEM career. Microsoft women in STEM scholarships applications are open from January until March 13.

5. Palantir Women in Technology Scholarship

Palantir offers two women in STEM scholarships, one for global applicants and one for North American applicants. They offer a grant of $7,000. You must be currently enrolled in college to apply for this scholarship.

5 Growing STEM Fields for Women

1. Information security analyst

Information security analysts plan measures to secure computer sySTEMs and make $103,590 per year with only a bachelor’s degree! Women make up 18% of current information security analysts.

2. Software developers and software quality assurance analysts and testers

Developers design computer programs and analysts and testers test these programs. Though women are only 20% of software developers, they are 47% of the testers. Median pay is $110,140 per year, and you only need a bachelor’s degree.

3. Operations research analysts

Operations research analysts make $86,200 per year, and women make up 51% of the field. You can do this job with a bachelor’s degree.

4. Industrial engineers, including health and safety

These engineers create sySTEMs to integrate workers, machines, materials, information, and energy to produce products or provide services. They make around $90,000 per year and only need a bachelor’s degree. 

5. Medical scientists

Medical scientists research medical topics to improve health. They are not clinical practitioners like doctors, though you may need a doctorate degree. In this profession, you make $91,510 per year, and women make up 50% of the field.

Women in STEM Organizations

1. Women in STEM (WiSTEM) is an organization run by high school student ambassadors aiming to empower other young women in STEM. If you want to add some more leadership extracurriculars to your college admissions process, apply to be an ambassador! 
2. Stem for Her aims to create “awareness, excitement, and opportunities” for girls to pursue STEM careers. They do this through educational programming, mentorship, and hands-on opportunities. Their focus is on the metropolitan DC area.
3. Association for Women in Science (AWIS) supports women in STEM in all points of their careers through advocacy, mentorship, and networking. 
4. National Girls Collaborative Project is a “network of networks” that brings together organizations supporting girls in STEM.
5. Women in Engineering Proactive Network is a nonprofit aiming to increase diversity and inclusion in engineering education and professions. 
6. Million Women Mentors is an organization that connects local groups with state leaders and corporate institutions in order to support women in STEM. 
7. American Association of University Women is an organization founded in 1881 that fights for equal pay, educational equality, and women in leadership.
8. The Scientista Foundation is a national organization dedicated to supporting college and graduate women in science. 
9. Black Girls Code supports girls of color in learning how to code and offers online programs for ages 7-25.
10. Girls Who Code aims to close the gender gap in tech and empower girls to code and envision themselves as engineers.
11. The Society of Women Engineers has been a “champion” of women engineers for over 70 years and boasts conferences, membership, and scholarships.