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Only 27 percent of workers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics in the United States are women, despite women comprising 48 percent of our nation鈥檚 workforce, according to . Breaking this down even further, subdivisions within STEM including engineering and computer science have notably less female representation.

Across the board, women are underrepresented in the sciences. For the women who make up the University鈥檚 STEM faculty, this has brought obstacles to pursuing their passions throughout their careers.

Iris Bahar, professor of computer science and engineering

Bahar was drawn to science at a young age. Looking to her father, who was an engineer, as a role model, she took an interest in math and science in school, finding that the subjects came to her easily.

This made pursuing computer engineering in college 鈥渁 natural fit,鈥� she said.

Today, Bahar conducts research that runs along the 鈥渂oundary of hardware and software,鈥� looking into 鈥渆nergy-efficient and reliable computing.鈥� But throughout her career, Bahar has encountered challenges within her field because of her gender.

Since she was an undergraduate, Bahar faced allegations from her peers that she was only able to get positions because she was a girl. 鈥淭he reason you were able to get this internship was because you鈥檙e a girl,鈥� Bahar said. 鈥淟ike there鈥檚 special slots reserved for you, not because you really earned it, but because you鈥檙e a woman.鈥�

Even though she attempted to ignore these 鈥渙ff-handed comments,鈥� Bahar discovered that 鈥渢hey can easily create a lot of self-doubt.鈥� She would think to herself, 鈥溾�業 don鈥檛 really belong here, how did I get here? I don鈥檛 deserve it.鈥澛�

This created added pressure for Bahar as she pursued her career. She experienced聽 鈥� before she even knew a term existed for her self-doubts. Once she learned that there was a term for what she was feeling, it helped her realize 鈥渢hat many people feel this and that (she) wasn鈥檛 alone.鈥�

Today, Bahar looks to create community with other women in her field. This effort has included joining affinity groups for women in STEM at the University and reaching out to women scientists at other institutions.

鈥淚 think having a sense of community is extremely important,鈥� she said. 鈥淔ind your cohort and find your support group, and that can be really, really helpful in鈥� making sure you鈥檙e in a good place.鈥�

Monica Linden, senior lecturer in neuroscience

When she first went to college, Linden thought she wanted to be an engineer. But a guest lecturer during her freshman orientation helped her realize how much is left to discover about the human brain, and she grew interested in a different path of study: neuroscience.

While attending Massachusetts Institute of Technology for both her undergraduate and graduate studies, Linden got involved in research. But oftentimes she found herself as one of only a few women on a lab鈥檚 staff, which was challenging.

At one lab Linden considered applying to, she said a senior graduate student who worked there told her that 鈥溾�榃e don鈥檛 want you in the lab, we don鈥檛 want women. It鈥檚 like a locker room in here, we want to keep that going.鈥欌�澛�

Linden had grown used to being among few women in her field, but this experience of sexism changed the way she viewed future workplaces. 鈥淚t wasn鈥檛 ever really a problem until someone explicitly turned it into one,鈥� she said.

No longer comfortable with pursuing research in that lab, Linden found another lab with more women researchers, in the hope of finding someone who 鈥渃ould be more of a mentor or someone to look up to,鈥� she added.

Still, she continued to hear sexist discourse in this lab concerning whether women could be as smart as men.鈥淓ven in that lab that was pretty equally gender balanced, there were still these kinds of comments,鈥� Linden said. At Brown, too, a lack of female researchers to talk to on the day she interviewed for her position in the Neuroscience Department limited how welcome she felt.

Seeing the growth in representation of women in STEM fields, Linden remains 鈥渃autiously optimistic,鈥� but notes that the physical sciences and computer sciences, especially, are still lacking in female representation.

All in all, working with other women has been a highlight for Linden. Despite instances of sexism, 鈥渢here were also opportunities for women to come together and be supportive of each other in spite of everything,鈥� she said.

For other women looking to pursue STEM, Linden said it is important to consider your workplace from a structural perspective, including the presence of other women and policies that support your goals.

鈥淚 became pregnant with my first child in my first year that I was at Brown,鈥� she said. The policies at Brown gave her what she needed for her 鈥渨ork-life balance,鈥� and Linden encouraged other women to look for an institution whose policies are supportive of whatever future plans they have.

Nicole R. Nugent, associate professor of psychiatry and human behavior and emergency medicine

Growing up, Nugent never would have expected that one day she would be conducting her own research on how biological and social processes interact and influence psychological outcomes during times of stress.

Throughout her time in school, Nugent 鈥渁lways seemed to become the confidant to classmates who were struggling with everything from eating disorders to abuse to thoughts of suicide,鈥� she wrote in an email to the Herald. But she 鈥渃ouldn鈥檛 imagine a world鈥� where her role as a confidant for her peers would turn into a career.

鈥淚鈥檓 not proud of this now, but the truth is that in my public middle school, being smart meant other kids would try to cheat off my tests and that boys wouldn鈥檛 like me, so it seemed easier to pretend I wasn鈥檛 smart,鈥� she wrote.

Eventually, Nugent began to work harder in school, finding satisfaction in surprising her peers with her wit. One time, she even quoted a textbook from memory after a boy in school made fun of her, she recalled.

Still, even in navigating higher academia, Nugent has encountered discrimination on the basis of the gender.

鈥淎t one research conference, a senior male colleague loudly commented on my body in front of more than a dozen colleagues and leaders in the field. I was horrified and no one in the room knew quite how to respond,鈥� she wrote. 鈥淗e would later corner me at the conference to tell me how flattered I should be by his comment. After that, I avoided events that could have benefitted my career because he would be there.鈥�

In taking on leadership roles in research, too, Nugent had to work harder than her male peers.

聽鈥淟earning to lead, as a woman, was something that was more of a process (for me) than (for) some of my male colleagues,鈥� she wrote. 鈥淚 needed to find my own style of leadership; the models provided by male mentors/colleagues were not a great fit for me.鈥�

Today, Nugent has become more comfortable working in her field, finding support from mentors along the way and succeeding in spite of the sexism she has faced. But she still thinks there is room for the field to grow.

鈥淚n clinical psychology, the field is increasingly dominated by women, though the highest levels of leadership remain men even today,鈥� she wrote. For Nugent and others, it is important for women to reach higher ranks in clinical psychology. Many women in these higher positions within her field have become 鈥渕entors and sponsors who (she) could trust and whose careers and lives seemed more naturally aligned with (her) own.鈥�

Kavita Ramanan, professor of applied mathematics

The daughter of an algebraic geometer, Ramanan was introduced to mathematics at a young age. Due to his passion for his career, Ramanan鈥檚 father 鈥渁lways seemed to be relaxed and enjoying himself,鈥� she wrote in an email to the Herald. 鈥淭hat inspired me to find a career doing something I would enjoy and be passionate about.鈥�

Ramanan explored fields including literature and music before, late into her undergraduate studies, deciding on her field 鈥� mathematics, like her father.

But as she entered a male-dominated field, Ramanan faced an uphill battle.

Beginning her career in mathematics came with a 鈥済amut of challenges, such as being told I am occupying a spot that would be better suited for a man, or being told I received some recognition only because I was a woman,鈥� she wrote. In terms of non-research service obligations, at times she has been 鈥済iven more administrative rather than scientific responsibilities.鈥�

In order to navigate the challenges that come with being a woman in a predominantly male field, Ramanan approaches 鈥渢hings rationally, rather than emotionally.鈥�

鈥淚 also tend to look at the glass half-full,鈥� she added, 鈥渟o (I) am typically quite grateful for my lot. Specifically, the knowledge that there are many others out there who are less socio-economically privileged than me and face more severe challenges helps keep things in perspective.鈥�

Today, Ramanan works 鈥渋n the field of probability theory and stochastic processes, which involves the study of random phenomena, or phenomena whose outcomes you cannot predict with certainty.鈥� She said that finding support from a diverse community has enhanced her experience pursuing her research interests.

鈥淚 have interacted with and made friends with some wonderfully inspiring women in my field, and so definitely greatly appreciate their presence,鈥� she wrote.

鈥淗owever, it is not just about having more women,鈥� she wrote. 鈥淭he ideal community for me would be a mosaic of people with a good balance of different genders or gender identities, socio-economic backgrounds, nationalities, interests,鈥� which would lead 鈥渢o a wonderfully enriching research environment.鈥�

To other women pursuing careers in STEM, Ramanan wrote that it is important not to 鈥渆asily sacrifice your dreams鈥� and to 鈥渟urround yourself with people that understand and support your passion.鈥�

鈥淜eep in mind that being a minority in STEM can also provide you with an additional sense of purpose,鈥� she wrote, including 鈥渙pportunities to contribute to your profession in a myriad of different ways.鈥�

Correction: a previous version of the article stated that Kavita Ramanan at times received more administrative rather than scientific responsibilities in research. In fact, Ramanan received more administrative responsibilities in terms of non-research service obligations. The Herald regrets the error.