An underrepresented group describes a

subset In mathematics, Set (mathematics), set ''A'' is a subset of a set ''B'' if all Element (mathematics), elements of ''A'' are also elements of ''B''; ''B'' is then a superset of ''A''. It is possible for ''A'' and ''B'' to be equal; if they are ...

of a

population Population typically refers to the number of people in a single area, whether it be a city or town, region, country, continent, or the world. Governments typically quantify the size of the resident population within their jurisdiction using a ...

that holds a smaller

percentage In mathematics, a percentage (from la, per centum, "by a hundred") is a number or ratio expressed as a fraction of 100. It is often denoted using the percent sign, "%", although the abbreviations "pct.", "pct" and sometimes "pc" are also us ...

within a significant

subgroup In group theory, a branch of mathematics, given a group ''G'' under a binary operation ∗, a subset ''H'' of ''G'' is called a subgroup of ''G'' if ''H'' also forms a group under the operation ∗. More precisely, ''H'' is a subgroup ...

than the subset holds in the general population. Specific characteristics of an underrepresented group vary depending on the subgroup being considered.

Underrepresented groups in STEM

United States

Underrepresented groups in

science, technology, engineering, and mathematics Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) is an umbrella term used to group together the distinct but related technical disciplines of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The term is typically used in the context of ...

in the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

include

women A woman is an adult female human. Prior to adulthood, a female human is referred to as a girl (a female child or Adolescence, adolescent). The plural ''women'' is sometimes used in certain phrases such as "women's rights" to denote female hum ...

and some minorities. In the United States, women made up 50% of the

college A college (Latin: ''collegium'') is an educational institution or a constituent part of one. A college may be a degree-awarding tertiary educational institution, a part of a collegiate or federal university, an institution offering ...

-educated workers in 2010, but only 28% of the

science Science is a systematic endeavor that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe. Science may be as old as the human species, and some of the earliest archeological evidence for ...

and

engineering Engineering is the use of scientific method, scientific principles to design and build machines, structures, and other items, including bridges, tunnels, roads, vehicles, and buildings. The discipline of engineering encompasses a broad rang ...

workers. Other underrepresented groups in science and engineering included

African Americans African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

, Native Americans,

Alaskan Natives Alaska Natives (also known as Alaskan Natives, Native Alaskans, Indigenous Alaskans, Aboriginal Alaskans or First Alaskans) are the indigenous peoples of Alaska and include Iñupiat, Yupik, Aleut, Eyak, Tlingit, Haida, Tsimshian, and a numb ...

, and

Hispanics The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties former ...

, who collectively formed 26% of the population, but accounted for only 10% of the science and engineering workers. This 2015 study found that women make up just 26% of the computing workforce and 12% of the engineering workforce; African American, Hispanic, and Native American women are especially underrepresented in these industries. (McBride & McBride, 2018). Underrepresented groups in computing, a subset of the STEM fields, include Hispanics, and African-Americans. In the United States in 2015, Hispanics were 15% of the population and African-Americans were 13%, but their representation in the workforces of major tech companies in technical positions typically runs less than 5% and 3%, respectively. Similarly, women, providing approximately 50% of the general population, typically comprise less than 20% of the technology and leadership positions in the major technology companies. When it comes to the engineering and computing workforce, which accounts for more than 80% of STEM jobs, women remain dramatically underrepresented, as documented in the American Association of University Women’s (AAUW) recent research report Solving the Equation: The Variables for Women’s Success in Engineering and Computing (McBride & McBride, 2018). Women were underrepresented as external seminar program speakers and on decision-making committees for faculty promotions, institutional strategy, and graduate student appointment or recruitment. In addition, most institutions did not have policies that promote gender diversity on committees or to encourage women-friendly workplaces. (Beeler, et al., 2019). Women in STEM are more likely to be assigned jobs where there is less recognition compared to men. Surveys show that women spent more hours per week teaching and less hours conducting research than men, this meant women had little opportunity for promotions.

Japan

In Japan, the ratio of participation of women in the STEM field is very low. According to the survey in 2013, while almost all countries in OECD have about 20 to 40% of women researchers, Japan has only 14.6% which is a relatively low ratio. The ratio of women researchers is the lowest among countries in OECD in every area including the industry, government, and universities, especially in the industrial areas, there are only 8.1% of women researcher s. Although the ratio is slightly increasing, the speed is relatively low compared to the other countries.

References

{{Reflist # Beeler, W. H., Beeler, W. H., Jagsi, R., Solomon, S. L., Beeler, W. H., Jagsi, R., … Solomon, S. L. (2019, September 6). Report cards show women still under-represented in STEM. Retrieved from https://www.statnews.com/2019/09/05/stem-report-cards-women- # McBride, L., & McBride, L. (2018, September 17). Lisa McBride. Retrieved from https://www.insightintodiversity.com/changing-the-culture-for-women-and-underrepresented-groups-in-stemm/. # Nimmesgern, H. (2016, February 18). Why Are Women Underrepresented in STEM Fields? Retrieved fro
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/chem.201600035

External links

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, Medicine, Committee on Underrepresented Groups and the Expansion of the Science and Engineering Workforce PipelineExpanding Underrepresented Minority Participation, America's Science and TEchnology Talent at the Crossroads 2011

Science and Engineering Indicators Report 2016
Demography

Underrepresented groups in STEM

United States

Japan

See also

References

External links