Tom Longstaff and Grace Lewis discuss how the inclusion of minorities and women in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) careers can promote a nation’s progress by increasing its ability to innovate.

The fields of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) can contribute to a nation’s progress because they promote innovation and improve many aspects of our lives. However, statistics show there is an imbalance in the workforce because women and minorities are less likely to pursue careers in STEM fields. In this Cyber Talk episode, Tom Longstaff and Grace Lewis discuss how fixing this imbalance can help promote even greater innovation in STEM fields. Grace and Tom examine what true diversity means, and how representation not just in terms of race and gender, but also in terms of culture and backgrounds, can promote different points of view and lead to the discovery of new solutions to problems that STEM researchers are trying to solve. They discuss how to promote diversity by reaching out to students at the right age and involving mentors from underrepresented groups to help break stereotypes about what it means to work in a STEM field. They also explore different kinds of approaches and programs that are effective for schools, universities, and places of work—including FFRDCs like the SEI—to get students interested and involved in STEM fields.