The journey for women at Texas State pursuing their STEM dreams begins here: Ingram Hall, the heart of STEM at Texas State University. 
Ideas come to life in the halls, inspiring STEM students like Deanna and Cindy to have their own research presented for all to observe. 
The halls of the Supple Science Center buzz with possibility, where students like Desarae find inspiration to turn their dreams into reality. 
From the starry night sky to the classroom, the university’s observatory showcases how Texas State empowers their students to explore the unknown. 
STEM education at Texas State equips students with the skills to tackle complex problems, one calculation at a time. 
Throughout obstacles in their education, friendship at Texas State University brings women like Katie and Angela together. 
In the lab, ideas are tested and theories refined. Here, women pursuing STEM can turn their curiosity into lifelong passions. 
From scholarships and mentorship programs to specialized organizations like the Society of Women Engineers, Texas State University offers a wealth of resources to empower women in STEM fields. 
With cutting-edge labs, an observatory, and collaborative workspaces available to all students, Texas State’s STEM facilities provide students with the tools to explore their passions. 
Through the support given at Texas State University, women in STEM aren’t just students, they are trailblazers. Together, they are shaping a brighter future for all women in STEM..
Beyond The Lab: Discrimination Against Women in STEM
Women in STEM fields face constant societal barriers in their profession. Issues with bias due to gender, discrimination, lack of inclusivity, and underrepresentation plague the field as a whole, leading many women to quit pursuing STEM careers and an unbalance in the field. (National Science Foundation, 2023)
The consequences of this unbalance in representation are simply undeniable.
Despite recent social changes that encourage women to let their voices be heard and seek out positions of leadership, STEM as a field is still falling behind.
Kimberly Chandler, a practicing patent attorney for a major oil corporation with over thirty years of experience in chemical engineering, knows this experience all too well, highlighting her own personal experiences with bias due to gender that she has faced all throughout her career.
“People assumed that, you know, because I was a woman that I wouldn’t know very much, or that I just couldn’t do certain things out in the field,” Chandler says. When asked if experience and notoriety in her respective field has lessened this discrimination, Chandler’s story stays the same. Chandler states that “even now, I still get people that question my judgment, because I may not say it assertively as a man would.”
These perceptions of women, even those with over 30 years of experience, create an environment for women that forces them to constantly prove their worth, and show that they can be taken seriously– something assumed without question for men in STEM.
Elizabeth Brown, an entry level associate scientist in the medical device field, shares similar and frustrating experiences with gender bias and discrimination at work. “I don’t think any STEM field is inclusive of women at all… my female coworker and I are constantly talked over, and my boss does not listen,” Brown states. Brown continues listing her frustration with her male leadership, stating that “my boss constantly makes me repeat myself, and has done tasks for me instead of answering my questions… I don’t feel that my opinion is valued at all.”
Unfortunately, this bias in the workplace is not unique and has turned into a nationwide issue. According to the Pew Research Center, “50% of women in STEM jobs say that they have experienced at least one of eight forms of gender-related discrimination in the workplace,” even though that means over 6 million women have been effected, speaking to larger societal issues around the perceptions of women and their capabilities. (Funk, 2024)
Unsurprisingly, some of these issues that Women in STEM face stem from a lack of consideration for certain roles entirely. Chandler discusses her company culture in hiring field roles, and the lack of facilities overall for women in these fields. “In the field, there are often no proper facilities for women, which just shows how much they don’t think about women being in these roles,” Chandler states as she recalls, earlier in her career, changing in a dirty bathroom stall while her male counterparts utilized a premium locker room. Chandler does note a possible explanation for this, stating how field work is “a very physically demanding job out in the field, they have a hard time keeping women in those roles… it’s just, it’s geared towards men entirely, women are just not even considered unfortunately.”
This disparity in recruitment, paired with lack of consideration for women who eventually end up in these roles, leads to a snowballing effect where women do not pursue these roles entirely. This discrimination is reflected in the retention of the profession for women, as according to Nintil Institute, of women “who had earned engineering degrees over the last 50 years” almost “38% of them were no longer working as engineers.” (Ricon, 2017)
Even though STEM careers are some of the most high paying careers, with true potential to increase quality of life through financial stability, women are not pursuing these careers at the same level as men due to many different societal barriers. In fact, even with the vast rewards a STEM career offers, the difficulties in navigating a male-centric environment has caused many women to reconsider their careers in STEM all together.
Brown discusses making this change, stating “I love chemistry and the sciences… but my experience in the workforce has been less than pleasant. Being treated as less than and feeling that is just exhausting.” Like so many women before her, Brown faces a difficult decision to determine if following her passions is worth the treatment she endures in the environment in which she works.
These transitions are not only affecting women in STEM careers, but also women who are actively pursuing STEM careers through education. Desarae Saathoff, a graduate student who transitioned from computer science to communication technology, shares her own challenges in finding an environment where she belonged amongst the world of technology. When in STEM classes, Saathoff states “I was given a cold shoulder when answering very simple HTML questions… It felt targeted due to my identity.” Saathoff also addressed the double standard for men within education, stating her frustrations with how “male students got away with not doing as much,” while her work of a much higher quality was criticized excessively.
According to the STEM Women and Pew Research Centers, “The gender dynamics in STEM degree attainment mirror many of those seen across STEM job clusters… Women earned just 10% [of degrees] in engineering and 19% [of degrees] in computer science.” (Nadeem, 2024) This number showcases the imbalance in degree attainment, which further begins to illustrate the underlying systemic issues that prevent women from pursuing STEM careers entirely.
Academic environments, much like professional ones, are not immune to the inherent societal biases many hold about women pursuing STEM careers, and reflect the broader issue of retention for women in STEM, as many leave due to hostile environments. However, in spite of these barriers and negative personal experiences in the field, Chandler, Brown, and Saathoff still share hopeful advice to women pursuing STEM.
Chandler emphasizes the value of connection amongst disparity, encouraging young women pursuing stem to “find mentors… they’ll be very good allies for them. I didn’t really have that, and I think that would have been beneficial.” Meanwhile, Brown urges young women to simply “never give up.”
Despite the challenges of gender bias and discrimination that women face regularly in STEM fields, their determination to succeed in their fields will continue to overcome these barriers, and hopefully as we progress in society, we can see more women in STEM roles. Women like Kimberly Chandler, Elizabeth Brown, and Desarae Saathoff are leading by example, striving to create a more inclusive environment that is supportive of women and their journeys through their presence in the field.
Their lived experiences act as a guiding light for young women, showcasing how no matter what, with determination, one can succeed in any career they desire. However, their journeys also help to illustrate the sheer necessity of change to the environment of STEM, to one that empowers women to thrive in these male-dominated roles.
Throughout all the barriers a young woman may encounter in education, Saathoff urges young women in STEM to persist amidst discomfort, to “fight to be the role model you need even when it gets hard… Someone has to do it.”
At her desk, Desarae Saathoff opens her coding program, beginning another day of work in her graduate program. 
This is where the magic happens—Desarae’s workspace, equipped with everything she needs to bring her coding projects to life. 
With a determined expression, Desarae prepares to tackle her coding tasks of the day. 
Desarae’s hands move gently across the keyboard as she codes each line of her project. 
The screen lights up with code as Desarae focuses intently on her work. 
With her coding program open, Desarae studies each line of code, searching for errors to refine her work. 
The screen glows with progress as Desarae types, each keystroke bringing her project closer to completion. 
The code on Desarae’s screen reveals the intricate details of her project, highlighting the complexity of her work. 
Coding in a field dominated by men, Desarae paves the way for more women to pursue careers in STEM. 
Wrapping up her work for the day, Desarae reflects on what she has created and how she will change it next time she codes.
Sources
Funk, C. (2024, April 14). 3. Women in STEM see more gender disparities at work, especially those in computer jobs, majority-male workplaces. Pew Research Center. https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2018/01/09/women-in-stem-see-more-gender-disparities-at-work-especially-those-in-computer-jobs-majority-male-workplaces/#:~:text=Half%20(50%25)%20of%20women,in%20STEM%20positions%20(19%25)
Nadeem, R. (2024, April 14). STEM jobs see uneven progress in increasing gender, racial and ethnic diversity. Pew Research Center. https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2021/04/01/stem-jobs-see-uneven-progress-in-increasing-gender-racial-and-ethnic-diversity/
Ricon, J. L. (2017, September 9). Stereotypes and discrimination against women in STEM. Nintil Institute. https://nintil.com/stereotypes-and-discrimination-against-women-in-stem
Grieco, E., & Deitz, S. (2023). Diversity and STEM: Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities 2023 | NSF – National Science Foundation. https://ncses.nsf.gov/pubs/nsf23315/report/stem-median-wage-and-salary-earnings
McGee, P. (2023, August 30). Women in STEM Statistics: Progress and Challenges – STEM Women. Stem Women. https://www.stemwomen.com/women-in-stem-statistics-progress-and-challenges
