科学领域女性过少的英语文章
Too Few Women in Science
This is the VOA Special English Education Report.
Two new studies have investigated why fewer females, compared to males, study and work in the so called STEM subjects in the United States. Those subjects are science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
The American Association of University Women examined existing research. Its report, called "Why So Few?," also suggested ways to interest more girls and women in the STEM fields. The researchers found that cultural and environmental factors make a difference.
Researcher Christianne Corbett says more boys than girls score very high on math tests in most countries. She says Iceland and Thailand are exceptions.
CHRISTIANNE CORBETT: "In those countries, more girls than boys actually scored above the ninety-ninth percentile in math. This is something that we point out in our report just says further evidence that cultural factors and societal factors can make a difference in who achieves at the very high levels and if girls are achieving or not."
The other study was carried out by the Campos company for the Bayer Corporation in the United States. It asked more than one thousand women and minority members of the American Chemical Society about their experiences. Seventy-seven percent said not enough women and minorities are working in STEM professions today. This is because they were not identified or urged to study those subjects in school. Bayer USA Executive Director Rebecca Lucore says its study produced results similar to the AAUW research.
REBECCA LUCORE: "I think that what our recent survey showed is there's still a lot of work to be done. We see that you know from everyone, they say their interest in science begins before the age of eleven. So we need programs that really, and from industry's perspective too, get in front of kids while they're young in elementary school."
Why is it so important for girls and women to be involved in science? Christianne Corbett has one answer.
CHRISTIANNE CORBETT: "Increasing diversity in professions leads to better products, better science, just generally. And expanding and developing this science and engineering workforce is critical to the nation's economic innovation and productivity and competitiveness."
Rebecca Lucore says scientific professions need more and better workers.
REBECCA LUCORE: "It's just about having scientifically literate citizens. It's really important no matter what career you go into if it's accounting or human resources or science career that you can think critically and creatively, you can work in teams, you can adapt to change and that's important for everybody."
翻译：
这里是VOA特别英语教育报道。
两项最新的研究调查了为何美国在所谓STEM科目学习和工作的女性数量少于男性。STEM科目指的是科学，技术，工程和数学。
美国大学妇女联合会(American Association of University Women，AAUW)对现存的研究进行了观察。该组织的报告名叫“为什么这么少？”报告中还提出了吸引更多女孩和妇女从事STEM领域的方法。研究人员发现，文化和环境因素起着重要的影响作用。
Christianne Corbett研究员表示，在大部分国家，数学测验中取得高分的男生多于女生。然而，冰岛和泰国例外。
CHRISTIANNE CORBETT：“在那些国家，数学测验分数曲线前百分之九十九中，女生数量多于男生。这就是我们报告中指出的'，进一步的证据表明文化和社会因素会影响谁能获得比较高分，以及女生会不会获得高分。”
另外一项研究由美国拜耳公司热带草原公司进行。该公司对美国化学会1,000多名女性和少数民族成员的经历进行了了解。77%的人表示，现在没有足够的女性和少数民族从事STEM职业。这是由于他们在学校里不被敦促学习这些学科。拜耳美国常务董事Rebecca Lucore表示，他们的研究得出了与美国大学妇女联合会类似的结果。
REBECCA LUCORE：“我们的最新调查表明，仍然有许多工作要做。我们遇到的每一个人，他们说自己在11岁以前就对科学产生了兴趣。所以，我们应该设立一些项目，同时，从工业的角度，在孩子们在小学的时候就提供给他们。”
为什么女孩和妇女参与科学如此重要呢？Christianne Corbett给出了答案。
CHRISTIANNE CORBETT：“总体来说，增加职业的多样性可以得出更好的结果，使科学得到进步。对于全国的经济创新，生产力和竞争力来说，扩充和发展科学和工程领域也是非常关键的。”
Rebecca Lucore表示，科学行业需要更多更好的工作人员。
Rebecca Lucore：“这只是说在科学方面比较精通的公民。而实际上，无论你从事什么职业，会计，人力资源还是科学，拥有创新敏捷的思维方式，团队合作，适应改变的能力都是非常重要的。”