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"Supporting STEM [science, technology, engineering, and mathematics] women students and researchers is not only an essential part of America’s strategy to out-innovate, out-educate, and out-build the rest of the world; it is also important to women themselves."
Women in STEM jobs earn 33 percent more than those in non-STEM occupations and experience a smaller wage gap relative to men. STEM careers offer women the opportunity to engage in some of the most exciting realms of discovery and technological innovation. Increasing opportunities for women in these fields is an important step towards realizing greater economic success and equality for women across the board."
The Department of Commerce’s Women in STEM: A Gender Gap to Innovation (August 2011) revealed that women represent a mere 24 percent of the STEM workforce.
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This gender gap situation is unfortunately present also in our Department of Physics & Astronomy, where women make up a little bit less than 20% of the graduate students. A similar percentage is found also among the faculty staff. Post-docs seem to have a better percentage, with a 38% presence of women.
To make a more female-friendly department, the Women in Physics and Astronomy Club arranges monthly coffee/tea hours, monthly Friday Happy Hours and at least one Special Event once per term.
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Founding Members:| Giada Carminati
| Laura Innes
Organizing Committee:Faculty Advisor: Laura Tucker
Graduate Members:
| Coral Wheeler
| Ye Pei
| Anna Kwa | Meghan Frate | Kristen McKee |
