Diplomatic Courier – David Chavern
“The word “engineer” is derived from two Latin terms meaning “to devise” and “cleverness.” Contrary to popular perception, successful “engineering” has always required creativity and lots of out-of-the-box thinking…STEM careers have been traditionally male-dominated, with a number of barriers—some cultural, some more overt—that have impeded the retention and advancement of women in STEM fields. But empirical evidence tells us that companies with higher levels of gender diversity perform better than their competitors…smart businesses create a corporate culture from the top down that paves the road for more women in STEM at all levels. Diversity in hiring—and thinking—has to first and foremost be championed by the board and the CEO. Then they, in turn, have to work to root out unseen and misunderstood biases throughout the organization and, very importantly, hold people accountable. Again, this isn’t just a social good or a “nice thing to do.” It is a business imperative for companies that are in a war for talent…But this is not enough; we all have to do our part to make sure unseen and misunderstood biases in the home and school are rooted out, and that all young women with an interest in and talent for STEM fields have a chance to learn and succeed. We can’t just complain. We need to buy more GoldieBlox for the young girls in our lives!”(more)