Science Associations Publish Legal Handbook on Diversity Strategies: Women and minorities in this country are woefully underrepresented in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). That’s very bad news for a nation undergoing a major demographic shift that by 2050 will make minorities the majority of the population.In fact, experts believe that the U.S. could find itself at the bottom of the pack in the critical areas of economic strength, innovation, and national security if colleges and universities do not find ways to boost the number of women and minorities in the STEM fields in student bodies and faculties. The task has been made especially difficult by a political environment where affirmative action efforts that hint of racial preferences are highly vulnerable to legal challenges.
