The Gendered Experiences of Female Undergraduates in Male-Dominated STEM Fields in Nigerian Universities

At the seminar, Oyewole Adeola Oluwatobi, a third-year doctoral student will present on the structure  of her dissertation:  “The Gendered Experiences of Female Undergraduates in Male-Dominated STEM Fields in Nigerian Universities"

Despite global advancements and increasing female enrollment in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), systemic gender stereotypes continue to impede equitable participation, particularly in male-dominated contexts. The seminar presents a two-phase qualitative case study investigating the gendered experiences of female students in the Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences at the Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria. Through semi-structured interviews, the research first explores how students navigate and challenge gender stereotypes as individuals. Findings reveal that perceptions of societal and employment biases, coupled with familial expectations, often reinforce traditional norms, though active institutional support emerges as a critical facilitator of inclusion. Building on this, the second phase examines how these ingrained stereotypes manifest in collaborative academic settings, specifically within research group dynamics. The analysis uncovers how group formation and role allocation frequently mirror institutional norms, propelling women into administrative or supportive roles while reserving technical and leadership tasks for men. However, the study also identifies significant resistance mechanisms, with instances of female students successfully assuming leadership and establishing more equitable dynamics. Collectively, the research demonstrates that gender stereotypes in STEM are both internally perpetuated and externally imposed through institutional structures. Yet, it also highlights the potent capacity for student agency and proactive institutional support to challenge and reshape these deep-rooted norms. Thus, sustainable gender inclusion in STEM requires dual interventions: top-down institutional policies that create supportive environments and bottom-up empowerment that fosters female students' leadership and resistance strategies.

The goal of the seminar is to present the thesis draft for group discussion. Participants are invited to engage in a dialogue about the methodology, data interpretation, and the theoretical understanding of the gendered experiences of female students in male-dominated STEM fields.

Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81401925053?pwd=Rz9XaKwebqoSNKXX892bcLRRD13N3f.1