Gender discrimination, though not as high as in the past, still exists unfortunately.  Especially in areas of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math or STEM as it is commonly called. These subjects together have traditionally been viewed as a male bastion and very few women were found to pursue an abroad education in these fields. One of the main reasons for finding fewer females in the field is the lack of support.  A research at Yale found out in a study that faculty members at highly ranked research institutes demonstrated a clear bias in favor of male researchers for STEM related subjects. In another study conducted by the researchers at Columbia Business School, it was found that women are more likely to face workplace discrimination and be passed over for promotions.  However a number of initiatives have been taken by the various government and private organizations to improve the representation of women in these fields. One positive sign of the outreach program and intervention is that woman in STEM fields are likely to earn more than their counterparts in other fields and the gender pay gap is less.

Making positive changes on campus

As more and more organizations are coming forward to recruit women into STEM fields, colleges too are also responding positively by providing more options to female students who are planning to study abroad in these fields.  A number of colleges in the USA and other countries have come up with special mentorships and outreach programs for girls who wish to study in the Tech and related fields. Some of the initiatives taken by colleges for increasing the presence of women in science related fields are creating exclusive sororities for the science and math related fields and also providing scholarships to encourage girls to study in these fields

Sororities for STEM

A sorority is a sisterhood of girls at a university, girls who are likeminded can join a sorority and learn the rudiments of social bonding and interaction. While sororities have traditionally dealt with feminine subjects, a few sororities have been focusing on women pursuing an overseas education in the engineering and science related fields. The alpha Omega Epsilon, is a sorority which is made up of female students and alumni in technical science and engineering field. The aim of the sorority is to promote the advancement of women engineers. The Alpha sigma Kappa is another sorority that focuses on girls who pursue their major in tech related fields. They provide women with the opportunity to interact with each other and develop leadership skills.

Scholarships for women in STEM

A number of organizations are coming forward to encourage women to take up a career in the Technology fields. Girls who want to study abroad in these fields have a number of financing opportunities open to them and need not worry about the cost of an overseas education. Meritorious students who plan to pursue an abroad education can opt for a number of scholarships to fund their education, a few of which are offered exclusively for women.

The Amelia Earhart fellowship for women

The Amelia Earhart Fellowship was started as far back as in 1938 in honor of the legendary pilot Amelia Earhart. The fellowship which offers 10,000 USD is provided each year to 30 women who are interested in pursuing their doctoral degree in subjects related to aerospace science. Women who have shown a superior academic record in these fields are encouraged to apply for the scholarship. Since the start of the program more than 1500 scholarships have been awarded to women from more than 70 countries.

Society of woman engineers scholarship

The Society of Woman Engineers provides a scholarship to women in engineering related fields which helps them pursue their graduate and under graduate programs in fields related to engineering and technology. The Scholarships are generally awarded in May for the sophomore, senior, junior, and graduate students and in July for students who are freshmen or those who are reentering. A number of other scholarships are also available for study in the engineering and math related fields that women can take advantage of. To know more about pursuing an overseas education as a woman in STEM contact Global Tree the best overseas education consultant in India.

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