Mapping Gender Inequality in STEM Cross-Nationally

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The proposed research will use a comparative macro-structural framework, a geographic mappingapproach, and country level data to examine gender inequity in STEM opportunities in a globalcontext. The proposal will request support for an international collaboration with Luis Berneth Pena, a Columbian geographer at the Georg Simmel Center for Metropolitan Studies at Humboldt Universityin Berlin, Germany. The intellectual merit of the proposed research derives from an interdisciplinary, international collaboration between an American sociologist and a Columbian geographer. The collaborationwill allow the integration of a comparative macro-structural framework of gender inequityin STEM and a geographic mapping approach. The influence of geographically distributed economicand socio-political structures on STEM equity outcomes has not been carefully examined andhas the potential for revealing critical gender patterns in STEM opportunity systems. Themerit of the research is based in part on an integration of sociological and geographic perspectivesin understanding gender inequity in STEM inequity that is spatially distributed and correlateswith larger macro structures.The broader impact of the proposed research is substantial given growing international focuson gender inequality. As a result of this focus, organizations such as the United Nationshave promoted measurement of gender inequalities across countries. Measurement is often limitedto general health, education, and labor market issues. Gender inequity in STEM is a majorcomponent in creating and maintaining gender inequity worldwide. An examination of gender equity in STEM education and occupations across countries with diverse economic and socio-political characteristics will lend insights and solutions for resolving inequities in STEM.