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Mentorship: The Key to Attracting More Women to Science and Math
By Helene Armitage
What IBM has learned about reaching out to women
Despite claims made by ex-Harvard President Lawrence Summers that women are biologically inferior at math and science (garnering him the very first "PINK Slip"), the ranks of women in math and science have climbed sharply since the early 1980s. Women received nearly a third of mathematical sciences doctorates earned in the U.S. during the 2003-2004 academic year, up from only 15 percent in 1980, according to a 2005 study by several leading mathematical organizations. Women have also received about 45 percent of bachelor's degrees in math since the early 1990s. And high school women are among the highest scorers in math contests like the Putnam Competition where males previously dominated.
Increased funds from the federal government – as called for by President Bush in his 2005 State of the Union address – as well as the states and the private sector will certainly help secure further gains for women. But, the key to attracting girls to math, science and engineering – and keeping them there –has more to do with relationships than with research grants. The lack of strong female role models over the years has discouraged many young women from entering the tech and science fields, according to a 2003 study by Simmons College. And a 2003 Catalyst study found that women often feel isolated in technology companies because of a lack of senior role models and mentors.
But today, thanks to a growing number of innovative programs, including several inside major tech-related companies, thousands of young women are coming under the wing of bright and talented mentors.
Since 1997, MentorNet, a Silicon Valley-based nonprofit organization, has paired undergraduate, graduate and post-doctoratal students studying science and engineering globally with compatible mentors from the industry, government and academia. It has grown from serving 250 students at 15 universities to more than 12,000 students from more than 100 colleges and universities. And two-thirds of MentorNet mentors are women.
With MentorNet, students and mentors – who mostly communicate via e-mail – receive a weekly or biweekly coaching prompt that includes a discussion or activity suggestion on such topics as career goals, managing stress, summer internships or co-operative work, study habits and graduate school.
And many companies are getting on board. MentorNet recognizes IBM as the company with the most volunteers – 400 mentors! IBM been a strategic partner with MentorNet since 1998 because it realizes women represent an under-tapped talent pool in this industry.
For the past seven years IBM has also hosted EX.I.T.E. camps (Exploring Interests in Technology and Engineering) for 4,000 girls entering seventh and eighth grades to generate interest in math and science. In 2005, the company supported a record number of 48 EX.I.T.E. camps in 25 countries.
Do these initiatives work? Since 2002, the number of technical women at IBM has grown by more than 16 percent. And one-in-three IBM employees is a woman. In this decade, 1.5 million more information-technology professionals will be needed to fill key technology jobs, and IBM wants to be the premier global employer for women.
Helene Armitage is IBM's vice president BTO Asset Lab and CTO Business Transformation Outsourcing.
