We Need More Women STEM Professors as Role Models

“Computer Science Is Tough Sell to Women” (U.S. News, April 11) casts a much-needed spotlight on the shortfall in women earning degrees in STEM disciplines like engineering and computer science. The STEM degree deficit hardly just affects earnings. A dearth of diversity creates a headwind for discovery and innovation, too. A growing body of research has found that diverse teams are more innovative than homogenous ones, especially within STEM contexts. Compared exclusively to male teams, for example, mixed-gendered teams generate 40% more technology patents.