{"title":"Missing women in STEM occupations: The impact of university education on the gender gap in graduates' transition to work","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.respol.2024.105072","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>This paper contributes to the literature on the drivers of the gender gap in STEM by focusing on a critical career juncture: the bridge between university study in STEM fields and work. We investigate the effect of selected characteristics of recent STEM graduates' university education on the difference between women and men in their likelihood of obtaining STEM occupations shortly after graduation. Using unique data on a large sample of graduates in male-dominated STEM fields, we show that a diversified university curriculum increases the likelihood of women graduates getting STEM occupations shortly after graduation, while it does not affect men. In contrast, doing internships during university studies and participating in study abroad programs reduce the likelihood of men graduates entering STEM occupations, but does not affect women. Additionally, students' graduation grades increase the probability of both women and men securing STEM occupations.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":48466,"journal":{"name":"Research Policy","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":7.5000,"publicationDate":"2024-07-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048733324001215/pdfft?md5=6f8111b1cdf77bd582b93f890da7ee5d&pid=1-s2.0-S0048733324001215-main.pdf","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Research Policy","FirstCategoryId":"91","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048733324001215","RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"MANAGEMENT","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
This paper contributes to the literature on the drivers of the gender gap in STEM by focusing on a critical career juncture: the bridge between university study in STEM fields and work. We investigate the effect of selected characteristics of recent STEM graduates' university education on the difference between women and men in their likelihood of obtaining STEM occupations shortly after graduation. Using unique data on a large sample of graduates in male-dominated STEM fields, we show that a diversified university curriculum increases the likelihood of women graduates getting STEM occupations shortly after graduation, while it does not affect men. In contrast, doing internships during university studies and participating in study abroad programs reduce the likelihood of men graduates entering STEM occupations, but does not affect women. Additionally, students' graduation grades increase the probability of both women and men securing STEM occupations.
期刊介绍:
Research Policy (RP) articles explore the interaction between innovation, technology, or research, and economic, social, political, and organizational processes, both empirically and theoretically. All RP papers are expected to provide insights with implications for policy or management.
Research Policy (RP) is a multidisciplinary journal focused on analyzing, understanding, and effectively addressing the challenges posed by innovation, technology, R&D, and science. This includes activities related to knowledge creation, diffusion, acquisition, and exploitation in the form of new or improved products, processes, or services, across economic, policy, management, organizational, and environmental dimensions.