Scientific innovation and technological advancement are important indicators of global economic competitiveness. In light of demands created by an increasingly technologically driven economy, the U.S. federal government has identified a need to strengthen American education within science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields, which include mathematics; the natural sciences, including the physical sciences and biological/agricultural sciences; engineering/engineering technologies; and computer/information sciences. Despite the critical need to develop and maintain a STEM-educated workforce, trends suggest that the percentage of U.S. undergraduate students graduating with degrees in these fields is actually declining, and the gaps between men and women in terms of STEM degree completion are widening.

This entry provides an overview of women in STEM in the United States, particularly women of color; explores the pathways to ...