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Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Math, Tech and the Women Who Don’t Love Them - Bay Area Blog - NYTimes.com


Math, Tech and the Women Who Don’t Love Them - Bay Area Blog - NYTimes.com:

"It’s no secret to anyone in Silicon Valley that math, science and technology fields remain dominated by men, despite some progress by women in recent years. Women make up 46 percent of the American workforce but hold just 25 percent of the jobs in engineering, technology and science, according to the National Science Foundation.

To Sally K. Ride, a former astronaut, that persistent gender gap is a national crisis that will prove to deeply detrimental to America’s global competitiveness.

In recent months, Dr. Ride has served as a visible emissary for President Obama’s broad push to improve science and math education, including the $4.35 billion “Race to the Top” initiative announced in July. The program would identify and fund effective education programs with the aid of corporate partners."