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• By Stephanie Garcia, Ph.D. • IDRA Newsletter • April 2026 •

In 2019, I wrote in the IDRA Newsletter about how girls are less likely to take higher-level math courses in high school or choose STEM fields in college (Garcia & Razynska, 2019). The unfortunate news is that this has not changed much over the last seven years. Girls and young women are still underrepresented in STEM.

According to the 2026 National Girls Collaborative Project’s latest report, State of Girls and Women in STEM, although the STEM workforce is becoming more diverse, “women represent 35% of the STEM workforce, despite being 48% of the total workforce” and “Latina, Black and Native American women represent less than 10% of the STEM workforce overall” (NGCP, 2026).

A report by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) also found (2024):

• Women occupy just over one in five technology positions in companies;
• Only 17% of patent applications were filed by women globally; and
• Women constitute only 26% of employees in data and artificial intelligence, 15% in engineering and 12% in cloud computing across the world’s
• leading economies.

In summation: “The digital transformation is led by men… A lack of women in the technology workforce is an economic loss to society” (UNESCO, 2024).

This is a pervasive, systemic issue.

Here is another truth: “Closing this gap is a powerful opportunity to unlock talent, drive innovation and build a more equitable future” (Pemberton Labuda, 2025).

This begs the question: How can we tackle this issue? Here’s a great start, as shared by Makers’ Muse: “The problem isn’t ability. It’s access, culture and confidence.” Let’s lead with that.

Supporting Deliberate Access

With all the anti-diversity, equity and inclusion laws dismantling and defunding high-quality programs, support systems that are critical to STEM persistence for women and girls are under attack.

When there are fewer opportunities to engage, interest declines. Participation and persistence of girls and young women in STEM will decline even more, which then “signals a massive loss of potential talent, ideas and perspectives” (Maker’s Muse, 2026).

As a first-generation Latina STEM educator myself, I have seen how access changes trajectories. When educators and industry, higher education and other cross-sector partners align, we have the people-power and collective expertise to architect new STEM pathways with multiple entry points that expand possibilities for entire communities. That is why we at IDRA focus on building strong STEM ecosystems rather than programs alone.

Reframing STEM Culture

Cultural stereotypes often frame STEM careers as unsuitable or incompatible with femininity and girls’ interests. Workplace barriers continue to push women out, especially mothers and women of color (Pemberton Labuda, 2025; Makers’ Muse, 2026).

Research shows that “exposure to relatable women STEM role models can shift perceptions of who participates in STEM and increase girls’ sense of belonging and identification with STEM careers” (NGCP, 2026).

Early bias shapes confidence. Career guidance programs and increasing knowledge among parents and caregivers are vital to support roles free of biased notions and what is an “appropriate” career for women to pursue (Pemberton Labuda, 2025; UNESCO, 2024).

The many years I spent as a middle school science teacher and later as a university instructor in a teacher preparation program frame my experience and inclusive-based approaches to teaching and learning.

I have seen firsthand that we expand access and belonging for girls and young women in STEM when we invest in improving instruction to ensure the curriculum is relevant and inclusive, when we increase guidance counseling and when we implement mentorship experiences.

Talent is evenly distributed. Opportunity is not.

Leading Confidence

There is another gap to consider in this discussion: the confidence gap. This “influences subject selection, career aspirations and willingness to take risks in competitive academic environments” (Makers’ Muse, 2026).

A large part of confidence is perception. Unfortunately, girls’ perceptions of their abilities in math and science decline from fifth to 12^th grade (NGCP, 2026). This often means girls self-select out of STEM pathways at increasingly young ages.

This issue is not about ability or competence, but rather about students’ perception of themselves (Garcia & Razynska, 2019; Maker’s Muse, 2026).

According to NGCP, 57% of girls don’t believe they are smart enough for their dream career, and one in two girls says they are afraid to be leaders because they don’t want others to think they are bossy (2026).

Through IDRA’s asset-based student programs (like IDRA VisionCoders), I have personally seen that, when students feel supported and heard and when they are given multiple opportunities to engage in leadership positions and activities, they gain confidence. Their perception of what they can accomplish now and in the future changes.

What We Can Do Now

There are several actions we, as a community, can take to reshape our future.

First, mentorship plays a pivotal role because role models and mentors have been shown to increase girls’ confidence in STEM and influence their career aspirations (NGCP, 2026; UNESCO, 2024).

Hands-on experiences and internships enable female students to see that their skills are valuable in technical occupations (UNESCO, 2024).

We need to increase investments in outreach, mentorship, academic support and bridge programs that increase retention and degree attainment in STEM for women, students of color and first-generation students (Pemberton Labuda, 2025).

And we need to reframe how STEM careers are presented to “emphasize social impact, collaborative nature and real-world relevance to attract a broader range of students” who may not traditionally identify with traditional STEM stereotypes (Maker’s Muse, 2026). This aligns with “girls’ strong desire to help others” (NGCP, 2026).

Maker’s Muse summarizes: “Addressing the STEM gender gap requires change at multiple levels, including education policy, organizational culture, leadership accountability and societal expectations” (Maker’s Muse, 2026).

A great start is to increase the use of authentic, community-rooted approaches that foster change across our school communities and STEM ecosystems. The long-term, life-changing impact is what keeps me committed.

Talent is evenly distributed. Opportunity is not.

NGCP’s 2026 State of Girls and Women in STEM

86% of girls and young women say they want a career where they can help others.
STEM careers offer exactly that.
The research in NGCP’s 2026 State of Girls and Women in STEM report shows that when STEM programs connect to what girls actually value, interest and engagement grow.
When girls see women in STEM who reflect their own backgrounds and experiences, their sense of belonging increases.
The barriers are real. So is the evidence for what helps.
Read the full report

Resources

García, S., & Razynska, K. (May 2019). Five Best Practices that Add Women to the Equation – Preparing K-12 Girls in Mathematics. IDRA Newsletter.

Makers’ Muse. (January 8, 2026). The STEM Gender Gap: Why We’re Still Losing Half Our Talent. Medium.

NGCP. (March 20, 2026). State of Girls and Women in STEM. National Girls Collaborative Project.

Pemberton Labuda, C. (2025). The STEM Gap. AAUW.

UNESCO. (November 2024). Support Girls and Women to Pursue STEM Subjects and Careers. Gkibak Education Monitoring Report.

Stephanie García, Ph.D., is IDRA’s STEM education specialist and directs IDRA VisionCoders and co-directs the Alamo STEM Ecosystem on IDRA’s  behalf (stephanie.garcia@idra.org).

FAQs

Why are girls still underrepresented in STEM?
Girls face persistent barriers such as limited access to advanced coursework, cultural stereotypes, lack of mentors and declining confidence over time.

What helps girls stay engaged in STEM?
Mentorship, inclusive instruction, hands-on learning, internships and strong support systems all help girls build confidence and stay on STEM pathways.

Why does confidence matter in STEM?
Confidence affects whether students take advanced courses, pursue STEM careers and see themselves as leaders. Girls often self-select out of STEM because of perceptions, not ability.

What can schools and communities do now?
They can invest in mentorship, outreach, bridge programs, inclusive curriculum and career guidance that connects STEM to real-world impact.

[© 2026, IDRA. This article originally appeared in the April edition of the IDRA Newsletter. Permission to reproduce this article is granted provided the article is reprinted in its entirety and proper credit is given to IDRA and the author.]