Diversity in STEM

Introduction:

Diversity in the STEM workforce is a hot topic among professionals and education leaders. Most people have their own opinions on why diversity is important to any workforce. Below is an article that takes a unique approach to diversity in STEM. It speaks to why it is essential that we diversify the STEM workforce and move towards a common goal.

Diversity is often seen as gender, sexual orientation, economic background, race, etc. Having a variety of different types of people in any given profession is something that most people find imperative to group success. People from different groups come from different backgrounds and have unique experiences that add different layers to a company and/or workforce.

THE ARTICLE:

https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/voices/diversity-in-stem-what-it-is-and-why-it-matters

The author of this article, Kenneth Gibbs Jr., got his PHD from Stanford Medical School and is currently the director of the PRAT program at the National Institute of General Medical Studies. He is a black man in a field where only 2 percent of grants are given to black professionals, yet he does not consider himself diverse.  

Dr. Gibbs Jr. defines diversity as difference. He believes that groups are diverse not individuals. It is groups of people of a different race, gender, etc that give a company the diversity they need to reach their full potential.

He explains three important reasons that diversity in STEM fields is important:

1. Diversity is critical to excellence
2. Lack of diversity represents a loss of talent
3. Enhancing diversity is key to long-term economic growth and global competitiveness

All of these points lead back to the main idea that diversity is needed in STEM to allow future growth. “Diversity in science refers to cultivating talent, and promoting the full inclusion of excellence across the social spectrum,” said Dr. Gibbs Jr.  

Why it Matters:

This article allows you to see diversity in a different light. It is not one person from a different group or background that makes a field diverse. It is full groups coming together to give the company different viewpoints and, in turn, better ideas and results.

The STEM field affects everyone. Whether it be a doctor or an engineer, they are attempting to better people’s lives and the things we use on a daily basis. Having a collection of different groups in this field will allow them to see from different viewpoints and come to the best results in a variety of different professions.