RESEARCHERS, policy makers, scientific funding agencies, companies, educational institutions and practitioners the world over have invested significantly in the recruitment of women into science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields over the past forty years. Understanding the status, however, requires a nuanced approach that recognizes differences in the nature and culture of the STEM disciplines and respective workplace environments. Some broad disciplinary fields, like the life sciences, have experienced higher levels of women’s participation in terms of degree matriculation than others, like computing, where matriculation is actually declining. Worldwide, in fact, women represent less than 30% of engineers, physicists and computer scientists. Much research points to the myriad stratification, cultural barriers, stereotypes, micro-aggressions, and biases women and people from historically underrepresented racial and ethnic backgrounds experience in STEM. These hindrances impact

Much research points to the myriad stratification, cultural barriers, stereotypes, micro-aggressions, and biases women and people from historically underrepresented racial and ethnic backgrounds experience in STEM. These hindrances impact sense of scientific identity, self-efficacy, career choice, and fit. They also influence workload, hiring, space and resource allocation, salary and compensation package composition, evaluation, recognition and awards, research grant funding, promotion, tenure, access to key professional networks and mentors, movement into leadership roles, access to venture capital, startup funds, angel funds and core knowledge for scientific commercialization, and more.