Inspiring the Next Generation of Women in STEM   – ED.gov Blog

“We need more female power in STEM, so please join us!”  

At the start of each school year, this is my rallying call as I visit all the 9th-grade math classes in my high school to recruit students for our Computer Science (CS) pathway program.  

As a lifelong STEM enthusiast, I’ve often wondered about the persistent lack of diversity in the field. According to data from the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, in 2021, roughly one-third of females aged 18-74 worked in STEM, compared to 65% of males in the same age range. Gender disparities are even more pronounced across race, ethnicity, and disability status. 

I’ve identified two major factors: Lack of support systems and lack of representation.  

Lack of support systems is often influenced by a student’s background, particularly in cultures where women are discouraged from pursuing education. My childhood in Korea was enriched by educational cartoon books about space, fueling my desire to become a scientist. During college, I relished my role as a research assistant, despite battling swarms of mosquitoes while collecting water samples in marshes. And now, I am a CS teacher. 

I count myself fortunate to have had supportive parents who never dictated my choice of major or career based on gender norms. Unfortunately, many female students do not enjoy the same privilege.  

How do we address this? Through the second factor – lack of representation. 

Addressing gender disparity always in the forefront of my mind in my work. I integrate lessons that showcase remarkable women in STEM careers and highlight the achievements of my female peers from my time as a NASA intern.  

But more importantly, I show up every day as a female teacher in a Title 1 school, proudly representing a person of color and a first-generation immigrant, passionately teaching about the wonders of STEM. 

Over time, I’ve witnessed a growing number of female students joining our pathway. Perhaps it’s because of a general increasing interest in CS among girls. But I believe that (at least in part) I serve as a role model for students who may not have seen women in the CS and STEM fields before, prompting them to at least explore the class in 9th grade.  

Some may argue, “But Sangmin, you’re just doing your job.” Yes, and it’s been working! Two of my best female students are interning as junior coders at Bloomberg and JP Morgan & Chase. And it still brings me joy (and tears of happiness) when I think about the members of my first cohort of female CS students who went on to major in computer science in college.  

In my first year of teaching CS, out of 25 students, only three were female. Now, nearly half of my 9th grade class is made up of female students. That’s why I continue my work & my rallying cry each school year: To inspire more young women to pursue STEM – and see them fly high!

Sangmin Pak is a teacher at Richmond Hill High School in Queens, NYC. Sangmin had been mostly teaching Earth Science in a co-teaching environment as a special education teacher, but now she has fully immersed herself in the CTE world.  As the Director of the Software Engineering Pathway and through a partnership with NASA, she prioritizes accessible education for all students, especially in STEM subjects.