Recent statistics show that Black people comprise only 9% of the STEM workforce (with this figure dropping to as low as 5% in fields such as engineering and technology). To counter this crippling lack of diversity within STEM, and to celebrate the potential of young Black students who may otherwise feel unsupported, Cynthia Chapple founded her organisation Black Girls Do STEM. The organisation works tirelessly to encourage, inspire, and inform Black female students about the realities of a life in STEM. This vital work comprises a number of programmes which provide information and advice to young Black students, contributing to the diversity of the future STEM industry. Research Features were privileged to speak to Cynthia about her life and work.
Many people who have studied a STEM subject might fondly recall the experience which first ignited their passion. Watching an unexpected chemical reaction, perhaps, or learning how to fit pieces together into a functioning electrical circuit. It seems self-evident that we should be collectively harnessing this early passion, encouraging the youthful curiosity which could yield new and diverse scientific riches. Instead, many young people from diverse backgrounds feel that the door to a life in STEM is firmly closed. They might sense that they do not look like the celebrated men in their textbooks, or feel confused about their prospects without the proper training available to them. STEM remains an industry suffering from a huge amount of thwarted potential, due in large part to its structural inequalities and lack of diversity.