Women faculty at Murray State University gathered for a workshop Friday, highlighting the challenges and opportunities female professors face in the STEM field.
STEM stands for the field of study including engineering, science, math and technology. Eve Riskin is Associate Dean of Diversity and Access at the University of Washington's College of Engineering and Faculty Director for the ADVANCE Center for Institutional Change.
Riskin said the amount of obstacles for women in STEM often depends on their specific field.
“And it varies widely across fields. If you go into the life sciences, women are very well represented. But if you look at engineering faculties, right now they’re about 17.5 percent women. So, very low representations of women," Riskin said.
She said many women often leave the STEM field due to negative experiences but she encourages women and young girls who are interested in STEM to try it.
Riskin said she believes it’s important to do workshops to help women stay in the STEM field.
Murray State’s ADVANCE program sponsored the workshop. The university's ADVANCE program received a grant last year to continue work supporting women in STEM.
