Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Letters to the Editor:

STEM measure is a winner

The National Science Foundation is proposing a nationwide bill that awards grants to institutions of higher education in order to foster young girls interested in computer science and other science, technology, engineering or mathematic occupations to pursue a degree in those fields.

As a college female undergraduate seeking a degree in STEM, I firmly stand with their proposal to encourage girls at such a young age to develop the foundational skills needed for a successful career in the field.

Since 1995, our country has been experiencing a gradual decrease in women earning computer science degrees, from 29 percent to only 18 percent in 2014. The low percentage of females in this field may be due in part to a stereotype imposed onto girls at a young age that math and science are masculine interests. The Code Like a Girl Act (introduced by Rep. Jacky Rosen, D-Nev.) will grant awards to institutions that are willing to conduct research in a wide range of relevant factors that play a key role in the attitudes toward STEM careers.

With the increase in demand for computing jobs, it is imperative that we strive for a diverse and well-represented group of individuals in a field of jobs that is facing a large gender disparity.