Closing the Gender Gap: Women Shaping the Future in STEM Careers
The world is getting “smarter.” Technology is developing rapidly and the demand for people working in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields is growing exponentially. Historically STEM-related fields of study and careers have been male-dominated. The good news is that studies show women pursuing careers in STEM-related fields is increasing. The bad news: we have a long way to go. According to the World Economic Forum, Global Gender Gap Report 2023, women account for only 29.2% of the STEM workforce in 146 nations evaluated. Among the barriers for women looking at STEM careers: lack of representation and unequal opportunities for advancement.
INFICON is committed to helping women succeed in STEM careers. Our women scientists, engineers and operations professionals are increasing in numbers and their impact is being felt. The diversity of thought and perspectives within our teams is a distinct advantage when advancing technology and pushing the limits of science. “I think the biggest advantage that diversity in our field has for us is that it allows us to get different perspectives. In science and in research, you need to be constantly thinking outside the box. If you only have one viewpoint represented, then you’re really not getting all the ideas that you could and you really need to be hearing all different voices and seeing all different perspectives on things in order to get a good solution,” says Devon Higgins, Emerging Technologies Research Staff.
Getting started in STEM
Many women that pursue STEM studies admit to a natural curiosity and the desire to understand how things work that began at a young age. Taking things apart, just to see how they go back together is, for many, that first spark that leads them down a path to learn more. “I’ve always loved learning how things worked and observing the environment around me, so I knew I wanted to go into STEM from a very young age,” said Huda Pertgen, Program Manager. For others, like Chunhua Song, Applications Research Manager, the path to a STEM career was more of a journey. “Both my literature and my science routes were balanced, but in China (at least for my village) and for women, it would be easier to find a job in the science area. The more I looked into and got into it, the more confidence I gained and the more interest I had. So, it was slowly growing upward, it is not like I just one day all of a sudden, I am interested in science as a lifetime career. But it slowly grew on me and now I can tell you that I really love science!”
Nina Truskog, a Development Engineer specializing in sensor technologies, also traces her fascination with STEM back to her early years. “As a child, I had an insatiable curiosity reading fact books and conducting small experiments,” says Nina. Her thirst for knowledge led her to take part in mathematical and logical games competitions and even to appear on a TV program dedicated to showcasing young maths talent. Today, she applies curiosity and passion for understanding how things work in developing cutting-edge sensor technologies, contributing to advancements in various applications. Nina's journey underscores the diverse paths that lead women to pursue careers in STEM, demonstrating the power of early experiences and curiosity. Currently, she is working with Process Development, leveraging her expertise to drive innovation in technical production.
The importance of mentorships
An area of particular struggle for women is the unspoken bias reflected on many of them as they explore STEM fields. For example, the idea that young girls are more skilled at English and art than math and science can create doubt in their minds and as a consequence, they abandon their desire for STEM classes in school for the more “accepted” learnings. To defend against this way of thinking, women leaders in a variety of high-tech, high-profile companies and universities today are leading by example and empowering other women to pursue their passions and career aspirations in STEM. At INFICON, our female role models begin at the top with Hannah Henley, President of Intelligent Sensor Solutions. “One of the reasons I wanted to join the INFICON team was I had a conversation with the President, Hannah, and during our conversation I could really sense her passion and drive to empower women and I really wanted to be a part of that,” said Hiba Saidi, Manufacturing Engineering Manager.
STEM offers countless opportunities for young girls to see themselves as future scientists, engineers, mathematicians, and technologists. For some, like Brianna Szczech, Product Manager-IMS, the most intriguing part of STEM is the possibilities. “There are so many areas, it’s a broad field. You can work on so many different projects in so many different disciplines: aerospace, biology, biomedical, medical, semiconductor, etc.” For others, it’s the chance to be part of something bigger, “You get to learn about cutting-edge technology and you get to be a part of the mission that advances technology and learn more about the universe,” says Hiba Saidi.
No two days are the same
“Every day brings a chance to learn something new,” says Mika Nakatsu, Application Engineer. For Mika, a typical day includes working with customers to investigate what might be happening with their vacuum gauges, troubleshooting and communicating her findings through detailed reports. She enjoys the collaborative environment she has with sales, applications and service engineers around the world to provide customers with the best solutions for their applications. Read more about a day in Mika's Role as an Application Engineer.
Sam Franklin, Industrial Engineer, also loves the variety of each day, “I’d say what intrigues me the most about STEM is that there’s new things to do every day. There’s a new question that comes up, a new technology that’s discovered, and it’s never boring.” Sam’s journey from intern to engineer is a testament to INFICON’s close work with colleges and universities to create an atmosphere of equal opportunity to upcoming and recent graduates. Read more about her journey here.
For young women looking at future possibilities, a career in STEM fields is full of exciting opportunities. The common theme in speaking with everyone for this article is, “Go for it!” Sam put it this way, “If a career in science, technology, engineering and mathematics is something you are passionate about, go for it. Don’t let other people dictate that a woman shouldn’t be in STEM because we definitely belong here.”
