NASA Awards $5 Million To Women’s Colleges Tackling STEM Gender Gap

Seven Women's Colleges and Universities (WCUs) will receive more than $5 million in funding from NASA as part of the Biden/Harris initiative to conduct research and create retention strategies for women in STEM degree programmes and careers.

The Women's Colleges and Universities opportunity was developed by the agency's Minority University Research and Education Project (MUREP) to assist women in overcoming challenges and impediments to careers in science, technology, engineering, and maths.
 The purpose of this prize is to address the stark gender gap in America and the varied experiences that women have in STEM fields, both in higher education and the workforce.

Data in employment and in school show that there is a gender gap. According to the National Centre of Education Statistics, women acquire 59% of undergraduate degrees compared to men's 41%, however just 10% of women's degrees are in STEM fields. This trend continues in the workplace, where women make up around 47% of the workforce but, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, only 27% of STEM occupations. Less than one in 20 women of colour in STEM fields are scientists or engineers. Women make up 26% of the scientists and engineers at NASA.

Gender, race, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, and other factors that may affect students' career trajectories were taken into consideration when developing these programmes. Each recipient will also offer a manual of information, guidelines, and best practices that will serve as a model for other Minority-Serving Institutions and Women's Colleges looking to develop comparable programmes.