It was interesting to me that although Jonathon Porritt talks a great deal about equity, gender and race are missing in The World We Made. He talks about environment for ALL but doesn’t talk about the all. Evolving ourselves and our society for the better through technology will require a far more diverse population in STEM fields than the alarmingly resilient White and Asian Male pool which currently represents 84% of the workforce. Likewise STEM jobs are growing faster than any other U.S. sector and available jobs in the field are set to increase 17% between 2014 and 2024 according to the NSF. I can’t even imagine how much larger these numbers will be in 2050. Additionally, with the recent passing of the Science and Engineering Equal Opportunities Act (Public Law 96-516) we are on the right track to greater representation in STEM. This is great for our future as according to the latest national studies, women and minorities represent the largest under-utilized national resource of great potential in science and technology. Attracting and retaining more women and minorities in STEM will maximize innovation, creativity, and competitiveness. People in STEM are working to solve some of the most difficult challenges of our time. When women and minorities are not involved in STEM, experiences, needs, and desires of communities may be overlooked. With a more diverse workforce, scientific and technological products, services, and solutions are likely to be better designed and more likely to represent all users, and the direction of scientific inquiry will be guided by a broader array of experiences.
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