Engaging Women in STEM: Perspectives from the United States and Germany

NEW YORK - Dec. 3, 2013 - PRLog -- Innovation capability in science and engineering is integral to a society’s economic development. Workforce diversity is among factors which fuel this innovation. Education and science policies in the U.S. and Germany identify promoting female talent as a top priority, with the goal of increasing female interest and participation in STEM disciplines and careers. Despite targeted measures, however, women and girls still remain significantly underrepresented in scientific and technical fields. On Wednesday, December 11, 2013, leading experts will convene in New York City to discuss promoting gender equity in STEM.

Experts estimate that over half of U.S. economic growth over the past 50 years can be attributed to technological innovation, which the nonprofit, Change the Equation, an initiative to mobilize the American business community to promote STEM education, references on its website. “Almost all of the 30 fastest growing occupations in the next decade will require at least some background in STEM,” the organization’s website states.

In the United States, however, women compose less than one quarter of the entire STEM workforce, according to a U.S. Department of Commerce report. Among university graduates, men also outnumber women in nearly every science and engineering major, as noted by an American Association of University Women report.

Why, with so much effort directed at attracting women to STEM fields, are the results so disheartening? Are the messages reaching the target group? How can institutions identify barriers to participation and open doors for female students and researchers? What cutting-edge technologies can they utilize in fields such as aerospace, energy, and telecommunication as outreach tools?

On December 11, speakers from both sides of the Atlantic will address the strategic challenges facing universities and research establishments, as well as their national and international partners, in fostering gender equity and workforce preparation in STEM.

Johann-Dietrich “Jan” Wörner, Chairman of the Executive Board of the German Aerospace Center, will speak at the event. Dr. Wörner serves as Chairman of the European Space Agency (ESA) Council, Professor of Civil Engineering at the Technical University of Darmstadt, and a Trustee of the International Academy of Astronautics (IAA). He was appointed to the Berlin Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and to the German Academy of Sciences Leopoldina.

He will be joined by Andrea Boese, Chief Diversity Officer and Head of the Department of Diversity and Equal Opportunities at the German Aerospace Center. Ms. Boese is an expert in protein biochemistry and has led international, multidisciplinary studies on human physiology and supported space missions. She is also Vice President of the International Astronautical Federation (IAF) and an elected member of the International Academy of Astronautics (IAA).  Ms. Boese helped establish the network Women in Aerospace-Europe (WIA-E) and serves as WIA-E Director of International Relations.

Iraj Kalkhoran, Associate Provost for Undergraduate Academics at the Polytechnic Institute of New York University, will also partake in the discussion. During his tenure, first as Dean and now as Associate Provost, Dr. Kalkhoran has led several efforts in curriculum enhancement, which have resulted in a re-articulation of the undergraduate curriculum to reflect the institute’s educational vision of invention, innovation, and entrepreneurship. Prior to working in academia, Kalkhoran’s experience was concentrated in a variety of areas in high-speed aerodynamics.

Dr. Joann Halpern, Director of the German Center for Research and Innovation, will moderate the discussion.

The discussion will take place on Wednesday, December 11, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., at the German Center for Research and Innovation (871 United Nations Plaza, First Avenue, btw. 48^th & 49^th Streets). Register for the event by December 9 by clicking here (http://form.jotformpro.com/form/33103492508954).

Unable to attend? Follow @gcri_ny (https://twitter.com/gcri_ny) and the hashtag #STEM for live tweets.

A video recording will be available on www.germaninnovation.org shortly after the event.

This event is co-sponsored by the German Center for Research and Innovation (GCRI) and the German Aerospace Center (DLR).

The German Center for Research and Innovation provides information and support for the realization of cooperative and collaborative projects between North America and Germany. With the goal of enhancing communication on the critical challenges of the 21st century, GCRI hosts a wide range of events from lectures and exhibitions to workshops and science dinners. Opened in February 2010, GCRI was created as a cornerstone of the German government’s initiative to internationalize science and research and is one of five centers worldwide.