Breaking Down Barriers in STEM

Difficult conversations often spark change. With the increase of the prevalence of technology in our everyday lives, creating a need for a larger STEM workforce. To meet the growing demands of the workforce, an increased number of STEM professionals need to be trained and that begins with the opportunities provided to all learners from a young age.

Presently, there is an increased focus in increasing minority representation in STEM through increased programming for girls in STEM and individuals of color in STEM (i.e. Girls who Code, Girl Start, etc.). While this is important, one piece of the puzzle that is missing is the inclusion of individuals with disabilities in the conversation. Roughly 25% of all adults in the United States identify as having a disability (CDC, 2020; Sarju, 2021) yet only about 3% of the total workforce identifies as having a disability (NCSES, 2023). It is well documented that as individuals look to advance in their career field, representation for individuals with disabilities becomes increasingly smaller.

The importance of this conversation is to highlight the fact that if the United States hopes to continue to grow its STEM workforce and remain a leader of change in the coming years, all voices must be brought to the table. To solve problems effectively, different voices bring different perspectives, leading to productive conversations and innovative problem solving.