Brazilian Girls’ Perspectives on STEM Careers

Bibliographic Data

ID21975277
AuthorsCelina Szuchmacher Oliveira (0000-0002-5284-4390, University of Beira Interior, corresponding author), Catarina Sales Oliveira (University of Beira Interior), Josilene Aires Moreira (0000-0001-6758-204X, Universidade Federal da Paraíba), Susana Villas Boas (Universidade Aberta)
Year2025
Volume14
Issue11
Pages657
Publication date2025-11-10
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueSocial Sciences (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2076-0760 • E-ISSN: 2076-0760
PublisherMDPI AG (PUBLISHER • IT)
DOI10.3390/socsci14110657
OpenAlexW4416088531
LanguageEN
References cited51

This research examines the professional aspirations of teenage girls attending secondary school in a Brazilian state and how they perceive potential careers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). STEM remains a masculinised field, not only due to the predominance of men but also because of enduring cultural representations that associate it with exceptional academic performance and highly technical competencies. In response, various educational intervention initiatives have sought to challenge these assumptions and promote the inclusion of girls and women in STEM. This article discusses an intervention carried out in four public schools as part of a project led by the Centre for Informatics at the Federal University of Paraíba. The project collected quantitative and qualitative data on subject preferences, professional expectations and perceptions of STEM among teenage girls. A mixed-methods exploratory approach was adopted to analyse the data and therefore to contribute to understand better the specific challenges of implementing such interventions in socioeconomically disadvantaged contexts, which remain underrepresented within the Women in STEM scholarship. The findings illustrate how social and financial constraints shape these young women’s career aspirations, intensifying both the desire for economic stability and the pursuit of personal fulfilment. At the same time, many perceive the future as uncertain and regard STEM as difficult to access, frequently associated with anxiety surrounding core science subjects. This article contributes to ongoing debates on gender and STEM education, offering insights into the Brazilian context and outlining considerations for the development and refinement of future school-based interventions

Career development · Disadvantaged · Psychological intervention · Qualitative research · Career Development and Diversity · Gender, Sexuality, and Education · Science Education and Perceptions

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