A new national survey highlights how U.S. women and minority scientists were discouraged from pursuing STEM Careers.

40% of today's women and underrepresented minority chemists and chemical engineers in the United States say they were discouraged from pursuing a STEM career (Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics) at some point in their lives, according to a new Bayer Corporation survey.

The study, commissioned by the Bayer Corporation, a US subsidiary of Bayer AG, the German international health care, nutrition and high-tech materials group, was conducted by Pittsburgh-based research firm Campos Inc., and polled a total of 1,226 Caucasian women, Asian women, African-American men, African-American women, Hispanic men, Hispanic women, American Indian men and American Indian women.

According to the survey, 60% of respondents cited U.S. colleges as the leading place in the American education system where discouragement happens, while 44% saw their college professors as the individuals who were most likely responsible for the discouragement.

The U.S. K-12 education system was also deemed as falling short with survey respondents on average giving it a "D" for the job it does to encourage minorities to study STEM subjects and a "D+" for girls.

The Bayer Facts of Science Education XIV survey polled 1,226 female, African-American, Hispanic and American Indian chemists and chemical engineers about their childhood, academic and workplace experiences that play a role in attracting and retaining women and underrepresented minorities in STEM fields.

"If we want to achieve true diversity in America's STEM workforce, we must first understand the root causes of under-representation and the ongoing challenges these groups face," said Greg Babe, President and CEO, Bayer Corporation. "We want to knock down barriers. If we can do that, we'll be able to develop the attitudes, behaviours, opportunities and resources that lead to success."

Some of the key findings from the study included:

"This and previous Bayer Facts surveys confirm something I've long known – that interest in science is genderless and colourless," said Dr. Mae C. Jemison, astronaut, medical doctor, chemical engineer and Bayer's long-time Making Science Make Sense® spokesperson, about the survey.

According to the Jemison, the first Black astronaut in the United States, "all children have an innate interest in science and the world around them. But for many children, that interest hits roadblocks along an academic system that is still not blind to gender or colour.

"These roadblocks have nothing to do with intellect, innate ability or talent," she said. "On the contrary, they are the kinds of larger, external socio-cultural and economic forces that students have no control over. As students, they cannot change the fact that they do not have access to quality science and math education in their schools. But adults can. And we must."

To help mitigate the consequences of Ghana’s brain drain of professional health workers, the IOM (International Organisation for Migration) is working with the Ghanaian Ministry of Health and other partners on a project called MIDA Ghana Health.

The project, which will end in mid 2007, aims to attract members of the African Diaspora in the European Union who wish to make a contribution to the improvement of the health sector in Ghana.

This is realized in two ways. On the one hand, Ghanaian and other African migrants living and working in the Netherlands and other EU countries can transfer knowledge, skills and experience through temporary assignments in Ghana.  On the other hand, health workers from Ghana have the opportunity to access specialized training at healthcare institutions in the Netherlands.

For further information:

www.iom-nederland.nl  (go to "programmes" and "migration)

Nigerian Central Bank Governor highlights the impact of new banking reforms on the sector’s skills needs.

“The Nigerian banking sector can never be the same again,” said Professor Charles Soludo, Governor the Central Bank of Nigeria, during a presentation on the progress of Nigeria’s radical reform of its banking sector.  Speaking at the event organised in London in October by Business in Africa Events, the Governor made clear his determination to push through the reforms which are set to provide an enormous boost to capital market growth and investment opportunities in Nigeria.

The banking and financial reforms are part of the key elements of Nigeria’s economic development agenda and will transform the banking landscape.  Already over 22 groupings of banks involving 67 banks are in the process of merging and, according to the Governor, at least 20 stronger and more reliable banks are likely to emerge at the end of 2005 when the reforms are set for completion.

The 13 point banking reform agenda was designed to address the weak capital base of the majority of the country’s banks, poor corporate governance, high unit costs and unsustainable competition.  The reforms, which include raising the capital base of banks from N2 billion (US$16 million) to a minimum of N25 billion (about US$185 million), should create banking institutions that investors can rely on and that depositors can trust, thereby enhancing transparency, professionalism, corporate governance and accountability.

These reforms will also serve to highlight crucial gaps in the skills currently to be found within the banking sector and those needed within the new banking environment.  Highlighting what he termed the current ‘mismatch’ of skills in the sector, the Governor stressed that the sector will now need to develop professional bankers who can develop effective banking services, structure transactions and drive down costs.

“The reforms have led to a change of approach and now we have to think and be bankers……the right human capital – knowledgeable, exposed and cosmopolitan – is now critical.”

Addressing the human resources implications of the new banking regime, Tony Elumelu, CEO of United Bank of Africa (UBA) plc, presented a case study of the impact of reform on his bank which underwent the first consolidation within the sector.  Applying the principles of professionalism and meritocracy to the merger that created UBA plc had led to an increase in productivity within the bank, he said. 

 “The reforms have led to a change of approach and now we have to think and be bankers”, he stressed.  “The right human capital – knowledgeable, exposed and cosmopolitan – is now critical.”  Pointing to the new bank’s ability to attract Nigerians in the Diaspora away from institutions such as the IFC, General Electric, Citibank and Goldman Sachs, Elumelu was positive about the renewed credibility and confidence of the financial system.

Professor Soludo, who took up his appointment as Governor in May 2004 and was recently voted ‘Best Central Bank Governor of the Year’, cited positive results from the changes that have already taken place and spoke of a new culture of professionalism and customer-centred operations becoming increasingly visible.  On a wider scale, interest rates have dropped to their lowest level since the liberalisation of the financial system in the late 1980’s and lending to the private sector is on the rise, with funding of large scale projects beginning to happen.  The reforms have already seen a significant growth in capital market activity and banking sector stocks have moved into the preferred portfolio for Nigerian investors by over 50% in the year since June 2004. 

With a population now estimated at 150 million, Nigeria is the giant of Africa.  For sub-Saharan Africa to go forward with meeting the Millennium Development Goals, the success of Nigeria’s banking revolution will be imperative.

Journalism – and especially TV and radio journalism – still has a reputation for being almost impossible to break into if you don’t have contacts in the industry. Not so, says Tim Fenton, a former journalist and senior manager with BBC News.

Why be a journalist? The pay – except for a tiny minority at the very top – is not great. The hours are generally long and unpredictable. And, in countries like the UK and US, journalists are regarded as almost as untrustworthy as politicians.

The answer for most aspiring reporters will have something to do with a belief that successful societies need good journalism.

Anthropology suggests that an idea of ‘news’ – a shared awareness of events beyond our direct experience is common to all societies. It gives us a sense of security, control and confidence. It’s an important part of the ‘glue’ that bonds societies. Journalism is the system created to supply this news.

Engaging the Reader

Moreover, as societies get more sophisticated and complex, the need for quality journalism increases. As people work harder and have less spare time, so they need the information necessary to run their lives in as tightly focused a form as possible. As governments and corporations get bigger and more powerful, so the need for independent monitoring of those with power becomes more and more important.

The need for good journalists can only increase.

One of the earliest forms of journalism was the acta diurnal reports of proceedings in the Roman Senate and written journalism remains the first step for many. That makes sense because an ability to write clearly, concisely and in a way that engages the reader is fundamental whatever the medium. Writing for a website requires slightly different skills from printed newspapers but both teach the same basic skills.

As well as being able to write, reporters need a flair for storytelling, an original, inventive mind, enthusiasm and dogged determination. You’ll need to be able to deal with simple software packages and recording equipment, but nothing that’s too complicated.

Broadcast News

If you’re going to move on from writing to broadcasting, you’ll need a good voice. Radio is a good place to start - it helps a reporter learn to write for broadcast and to polish his or her voice. Television introduces the requirement to be able to tell a story primarily with pictures.

But is it worth starting any of this if you’re not white, Oxbridge-educated and middle-class? The answer is ‘yes’. Organizations like the BBC are acutely aware of the fact that their newsrooms do not reflect the diversity of the audiences they seek to serve and commercial news organizations know that if they can’t reach every sector of society they won’t be able to maximize their advertising revenue.

To get a first job, you’ll need some talent and persistence. Interviews with reputable organizations are rarely ‘stitched up’. If there is dishonesty, it is usually in the form of a willingness to interview candidates who have little realistic prospect. Two golden rules for interviews: keep your answers short and focused and prepare, particularly by reading or watching the relevant output.

Almost all BBC journalism jobs are advertised on the Corporation’s website here: https://jobs.bbc.co.uk

Tim Fenton was a BBC News correspondent and, later, as Managing Editor of BBC News Online was in charge of recruitment and training in a department of around 200 journalists. He left the BBC to travel with his family. A registered Interim Manager with Interims for Development (www.Interimsfd.com) Tim is now a freelance trainer, writer and consultant.