What Lies beneath Sustainable Education? Predicting and Tackling Gender Differences in STEM Academic Success

In many societies across the globe, females are still underrepresented in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM fields), although they reported to have higher grades high school college than males. The present study was guided by assumption that sustainability of education critically rests on academic success both male female students under conditions equitable educational options, practices, contents. It first assessed persistence familiar patterns gender bias (e.g., do competencies at enrollment, serving as precursors, performance favor females?) a society transition from gender-segregated workforce with marked inequalities one whose aims integrating into global economy demand women pursue once forbidden careers thought be exclusive domain men. then examined how simple indices readiness, well preferences for fields fitting traditional roles, could predict attainment key motivation graduate (as measured average number credits completed per year) college. As expected, had GPA. Once college, were major fitted roles (interior design) over-represented did not fit (business). Female students’ differ between male-suited business female-suited interior design. Male engineering business, albeit majors gender-role consistent. Although GPA English proficiency scores predicted all, preference over also males’ motivation. These findings offered more complex picture bias, thereby inspiring implementation targeted interventions improve females’ enrollment STEM fields, nowadays increasingly available them, enhance non-STEM such business.