Soldiers to Scientists

Military Service, Gender, and STEM Degree Earning

Bibliographic Data

ID2423946
AuthorsChristina Steidl (0000-0003-2143-517X, University of Alabama in Huntsville, corresponding author), Regina Werum (0000-0003-1051-2416, University of Nebraska–Lincoln), Sela Harcey (0000-0002-3996-3328, University of Nebraska–Lincoln), Jacob Absalon (United States Military Academy, West Point, NY, USA), Jacob Paul Absalon (United States Military Academy), Alice Millermacphee (University of Nebraska–Lincoln)
Year2020
Volume6
Publication date2020-01-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueSocius Sociological Research for a Dynamic World (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2378-0231 • E-ISSN: 2378-0231
PublisherSAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1177/2378023120948713
OpenAlexW3048602950
LanguageEN
Citations received3
References cited44

The authors use 2014-2018 data from the American Community Survey to answer two questions: To what extent is military service associated with higher rates of earning a bachelor's degree in a science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) field (vs. a non-STEM field)? To what extent is this relationship gendered? The findings suggest that military service is associated with higher odds of completing a STEM degree and that this association is particularly strong for female veterans. Comparison across multiple STEM definitions suggests that military service does not simply channel women into traditionally female-dominated STEM fields. Instead, the findings show the biggest boost for women earning degrees in traditionally male-dominated STEM fields. The authors situate these findings in light of extant empirical and theoretical research on gender gaps in STEM and discuss implications for policy and research

Bachelor · Business · Extant taxon · Military service · Odds · Political science · Public relations · Service (business · Sociology · Career Development and Diversity · Demography · Diversity and Career in Medicine · Gender Diversity and Inequality · Law · Medicine · Psychology · Marketing

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