Written evidence submitted by Dr Billy Wong, Institute of Education, University of Reading (DIV0003)

This evidence is submitted by Dr Billy Wong from the Institute of Education at the University of Reading, an expert with 10+ years of experiences in STEM education research, focusing on equity and underrepresentation.

1. My evidence for the Diversity in STEM inquiry focuses on the topic, ‘the reasons why these groups are underrepresented’, especially women and ethnic minorities in STEM academia.
2. To understand why some groups are underrepresented in STEM academia, we need to look at their pathways into academia, especially through higher education.
3. The UKRI[1] recently funded £8m on 13 projects to explore the inequalities for Black, Asian and minority ethnic students to access and take part in postgraduate research, which will, in time, offer important insights into students’ transition into academia, including in STEM.
4. I will focus on the lived experiences and challenges of STEM undergraduates from underrepresented backgrounds, drawing primarily on evidence collected from two of my recent projects funded by the University of Reading (SESTEM[2]) and Imperial College London (SIDUS[3]).
5. My research highlights a range of social barriers for university students from different underrepresented backgrounds, which can lead to their exit from the STEM pipeline upon graduation, either in academia or the industry[4].

Reasons for underrepresentation in STEM

6. Evidence from the SIDUS project suggests there is a high demand for STEM graduates from non-STEM industries, especially in business or finance, including paid work placements or internships (especially those from ‘elite’ universities). These opportunities have contributed to the view that some professional careers are more secure, plentiful, and financially rewarding than the STEM industry, especially STEM academia, which are often seen as ultra-competitive, few in opportunities, with poor work-life balance[5].
7. The lack of underrepresented groups in STEM academia may also reflect wider concerns about what life is like as an academic, including low pay (when compared to STEM and non-STEM industries) and a lack in job security (e.g., with fixed term or fractional roles being the norm at postdoctoral levels). The ongoing and longstanding concerns around pay, pension and working conditions, supported by regular national strike actions[6], continue to highlight the challenges of thriving (or even surviving) in the higher education sector.
8. The current lack of diversity in STEM academia can feed a self-perpetuating narrative for underrepresented groups that ‘people like me’ do not belong or exist in academia, as evidenced by the statistics[7]. The career intentions of STEM graduates can therefore be influenced by perceptions as well as lived experiences of prejudices or discriminations in STEM academia. Existing evidence has, for example, highlighted the added challenge of being an academic from a minority ethnic background[8].
9. Underrepresented groups in STEM higher education, such as women and/or ethnic minorities, regularly experience, live and endure different forms of inequalities, often implicit, subtle or micro-aggressive, due to gender and/or ethnicity, which can undermine their sense of identity and belonging as a STEM person, current or future[9]. Broader research in higher education, on the experiences of minority ethnic students for instance, also highlighted issues of racism as barriers to success[10], including an ethnicity degree awarding gap[11] [12].
10. For example, there continues to be subtle experiences of sexism by women STEM undergraduates in men-dominated STEM degrees, such that their accomplishments are undermined or unacknowledged by men peers, which can impact on their self-confidence and aspirations to pursue further in the STEM discipline[13].
11. Similarly, for ethnic minorities, we continue to find evidence of implicit racism and racial microaggression in many aspects of their everyday lives, including in STEM higher education and work placements in STEM industries[14]. These experiences do little to promote STEM, especially in academia, as a viable future pathway. There is a notable lack of visible role models of ethnic minorities who are leaders in STEM academia[15], especially those from a Black background.
12. More generally, students from underrepresented backgrounds, such as women, ethnic minorities and those from disadvantaged socioeconomic backgrounds, also seem more susceptible to feelings of being an imposter, of ‘not good enough’, in STEM education[16], which can dampen their aspirations to pursue a STEM academic career – a pathway seen as competitive but ruthless.

Recommendation

13. An important pool of STEM talents is lost when STEM graduates leave the STEM profession. To compete with non-STEM industries for high quality STEM talents, there must be greater recognition and celebration that evidence why STEM academia is desirable. Commitment and investment in opportunities and roles are necessary to change the current landscape and atmosphere of insecurity pertaining academia, with an attainable map on securing permanent academic positions.

January 2022

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