CareerWISE Web Resource Offers Ph.D. Guidance for Women in Science: Women have made great professional strides in the workforce but continue to face obstacles related to their gender, such as sexism and challenges related to balancing home and work. In fact, data show that at least half of all women in graduate degree programs drop out or consider dropping out of their Ph.D. programs. According to the Council of Graduate Schools, gender is the strongest predictor of doctoral degree completion in STEM fields, and the rate at which women complete their Ph.D. programs in these fields is 7 to 10 percent lower than their male counterparts.
Arizona State University researchers have created and launched an online, personal resilience training resource for women in science, technology, engineering and math fields that aims to increase their persistence in STEM doctoral programs. The CareerWISE web site was funded with a $3.2 million grant from the National Science Foundation.