STEM Education And Jobs: Declining Numbers Of Blacks Seen In Math, Science

[Poitier]

I'm clearing a black male with curly (might I say sexy) wavy hair

 

[Hawaiian Punch]

What biased views? that there very few Africans Americans in the professions including STEM--that is a biased view? That appears to an objective fact.

Is a lack of qualified black candidates a biased view? That also appears to be an objective fact.

The reasons as to why there is a lack of black candidates is not something that I have answer for because my profession is quite intellectually "light-weight", technically simplistic and overall easy. The entry-way into this profession isn't paved with High SAT scores and Ivy League degrees. Yet, even with this low hurdle of entry and even Lower GPA and resume reqs specifically for
Blacks, blacks still are under represented...significantly.

Are these Slick words? No they aren't. They are a symptom of a growing and alarming emergency situation in the black community with long-term consequences.

Exhibit A

I think there is a clear pattern in Blacks world-wide-- A pattern of Violence, poverty, underachievement. it's present in Europe, Africa, North America, and even in places with growing Black populations like guangzhou.

I don't know what causes that pattern, and to be honest I don't really care. All I know is that this pattern exists.

Black people need money, education and guidance from other groups. They need help, and this help is going to be indefinite.

Conservatives who advocate self-reliance, or "boot-strap pulls" in the Black community need to realize that that is never going to happen. It's downright irresponsible push that.

Look you filthy cac it's pretty obvious you are nothing more than a st0rmfr0nt troll that came to this site to disparage minorites. How does it feel Everytime you turn on TV and see us? Or listen to the radio and hear us? Or read posts on here and see this site is full of enlightened blacks that you think don't exist in this world?

Go back to st0rmfr0nt, because people like you don't belong on this forum. It doesn't matter cuz you'll be banned soon anyway

 

[Camile.Bidan]

Exhibit A



Look you filthy cac it's pretty obvious you are nothing more than a st0rmfr0nt troll that came to this site to disparage minorites. How does it feel Everytime you turn on TV and see us? Or listen to the radio and hear us? Or read posts on here and see this site is full of enlightened blacks that you think don't exist in this world?

Go back to st0rmfr0nt, because people like you don't belong on this forum. It doesn't matter cuz you'll be banned soon anyway

I not a white person although I don't think that matters.

Nothing you quoted was false, fallacious or the product of my own bias. These patterns exist and are easily demonstrable.

I should get banned for quoting facts? Should I be burned at the stake as heretic?

In a post that you quoted, I celebrated the record setting diversity of the Silicon Valley's many company campuses, yet somehow I come here to disparage minorities?

Who counts as minorities now? Blacks only?

 

[Wild self]

I never said STEM was not valuable but it does not tackle the biggest issues for Black folk.

Its like an educated version of the car industry and Detroit back in the day for black folk. We had a big middle class in Detroit because of the automobile industry, but outsourcing came in and took it away. I can see something of that sort for STEM in the next 20 years where a lot of the jobs will be eliminated thanks to automation and outsourcing. I don't want all black people to put their eggs in one basket and be assed out in 20 years, like what happened to Detroit. Can't make the same mistake twice.

We need to be more entrepreneurial. Period. In STEM and elsewhere. Can't be highly skilled corporate slaves forever.

 

[Wild self]

I hope your not being serious

I'm telling you, STEM majors would be better off in having trade schools/ schools dedicated solely for them. Having experience hands-on>>>

 

[Bunchy Carter]

I'm a black man who graduated with a biology degree and a minor in chem and works as a formulation chemist. The article is excellent and had a lot of good points. I graduated from an hbcu and worked full time and part time all 4 1/2 years I was there; so my experience might differ than some of the post in here.

Even though I went to an hbcu like in the article people did talk shyt because I was in the library 5 to 7 days a week; because education is not poppin in the community. People in my major would talk shyt because I took my sciences seriously; it paid off because the ones that talk shyt are unemployed or working at red lobster. To me the problem with blacks not pursuing stem degrees is that there is not that many brothers or sisters to look up too; unless you look at the history of black stem grads.

If your a black man pursuing a stem degree; you ideally want to look up to another male figure because they can help you more so than a female
imo. When you have somebody you can look up too; it help you to see what you will be like in the next 5 or 10 years. People think because I went to an hbcu I had a lot of different figures to look up too; but I it took me 3 years to find a mentor and it was my organic professor. I still talk to him today and while I was in school he shared experiences of racism and being the only black in the lab.

Right now I'am the only black in the lab; shyt sucks because I wish there was more brothers and sisters in my field. But I still hold my own and talk shyt too lol.

I also was getting discouraged while in school because while in school I was broke and like in the article I could have make more money if I dropped out. Also being the first in my family to go to college was a lot of pressure becaue people expect you be a savor of your family and pay everybody's motherfukking bills and shyt.

But I think it starts at the bottom in high school to get the brother and sisters interested in stems and make sure they keep their confidence and self esteem while in college. Because you will need that confidence when you start working because your other co workers will try to break you down and make it hard so you can quit.

 

[Wild self]

Im majoring in engineering right now and decided to do the 5 years track instead of 4 to lighten the load and to be honest what most cats in here saying about the difficulty of the major is true. Engineering and other STEM field majors aren't for everyone first of all and some people are never going to understand to concepts no matter how much try. Im sad to say it but its true. It takes alot of patience and sacrifice to succeed in STEM and some aren't up to par with the difficulty. But I do believe that in order for us to get more blacks to succeed in engineering/STEM we need to give them more exposure at a young age to the science field overall while breaking the whole whole nerdy geek image that's purported in holly-wood about smart people.



True 100%. Most of the courses im taking are math and science heavy but rarely hands on. From what i've seen the students who had hands on experience through a club or research had a more in depth understanding and will to stay in the major. I'm trying to get involve in some clubs right now cause its really hard to stay focused on the major when your not even using anything your taught.



This is true too. Tbh I don't think black people seeing smart people as nerds and lames is solely a black issue. That's an issue with every group across the board and I think its do to movies and television. Everyone that goes into college has this big idea of partying and clubbing all the time thinking "its our last chance to party" and it drastically sways their major choices. Also thinking that the STEM field is filled with asocial non-hygienic, swagless dweebs does help with enrollment at all.

Im my belief, a lot of people at age 18 are not ready for that kind of workload if they not genuinely interested in science. Yeah, the STEM majors have money in the careers, but the motivation of money can only go so far before people burn out or worse, go postal

Sad to say, but If I was 19 and people say that the rest of my youth will be spent on something that I hate just because of having a slightly higher salary, being pissed an an understatement.

 

[How Sway?]

I'm telling you, STEM majors would be better off in having trade schools/ schools dedicated solely for them. Having experience hands-on>>>

you do realize that Engineers (along with computer scientists, mathematicians, physicist and chemists) are involved in the DESIGN the products that all those guys with CERTS use??

STEM is about RESEARCH and DEVELOPMENT not just maintenance

 

[Richard Wright]

I plan on taking my state school Computing Engineering degree to NYC and making 110 my first year. Why the hell would I consider grad school when my mom hasnt made over 35k in her life?

Just like starting a company, becoming an actor, or a painter, its easier for people from priveledged groups to grind through grad school. They may have a parent buy that bus ticket.

And this is all I will say about education being celebrated. When I go back to my hood on the east side of bufflo and tell people from where im from what im doing with education they are proud of me. Then I tell them the jobs Im looking at and they . Then I say Im considering going to grad school instead and people .


Turning down a six figure engineering gig to hit the books for pennies for 7 more years just isnt an option for young black men.

 

[Poitier]

you do realize that Engineers (along with computer scientists, mathematicians, physicist and chemists) are involved in the DESIGN the products that all those guys with CERTS use??

STEM degrees are about RESEARCH and DEVELOPMENT not just maintenance

He is speaking to ownership. Has nothing to do with expertise.

 

[How Sway?]

He is speaking to ownership. Has nothing to do with expertise.

NO

what @Wild self is talking about, is ditching a bachelors/masters/phd for some certs. I never saw anything about owning anything

 

[How Sway?]

If you want to be the guy who is involved in helpdesk or maintaining the IT infrastructure of a company, then yeah go ahead and get some certs,

but hell, even a lot of those High level IT positions want a degree in something nowadays . (particularly STEM related)

I've been to a few fairs and interviews. They let you know off the bat what they want in a candidate

 

[Wild self]

NO

what @Wild self is talking about, is ditching a bachelors/masters/phd for some certs. I never saw anything about owning anything

I advocate ownership and black folk being entrepreneurial. Black folk need to branch out on their own, regardless of major in college, so that we no longer become corporate slaves.

 

[Serious]

I'm a black man who graduated with a biology degree and a minor in chem and works as a formulation chemist. The article is excellent and had a lot of good points. I graduated from an hbcu and worked full time and part time all 4 1/2 years I was there; so my experience might differ than some of the post in here.

Even though I went to an hbcu like in the article people did talk shyt because I was in the library 5 to 7 days a week; because education is not poppin in the community. People in my major would talk shyt because I took my sciences seriously; it paid off because the ones that talk shyt are unemployed or working at red lobster. To me the problem with blacks not pursuing stem degrees is that there is not that many brothers or sisters to look up too; unless you look at the history of black stem grads.

If your a black man pursuing a stem degree; you ideally want to look up to another male figure because they can help you more so than a female
imo. When you have somebody you can look up too; it help you to see what you will be like in the next 5 or 10 years. People think because I went to an hbcu I had a lot of different figures to look up too; but I it took me 3 years to find a mentor and it was my organic professor. I still talk to him today and while I was in school he shared experiences of racism and being the only black in the lab.

Right now I'am the only black in the lab; shyt sucks because I wish there was more brothers and sisters in my field. But I still hold my own and talk shyt too lol.

I also was getting discouraged while in school because while in school I was broke and like in the article I could have make more money if I dropped out. Also being the first in my family to go to college was a lot of pressure becaue people expect you be a savor of your family and pay everybody's motherfukking bills and shyt.

But I think it starts at the bottom in high school to get the brother and sisters interested in stems and make sure they keep their confidence and self esteem while in college. Because you will need that confidence when you start working because your other co workers will try to break you down and make it hard so you can quit.

@Mephistopheles

 

[How Sway?]

I advocate ownership and black folk being entrepreneurial. Black folk need to branch out on their own, regardless of major in college, so that we no longer become corporate slaves.

More black owned business are great!! But.....

folks are always talk bout owning a business, but what business will you open up if you dont even have any technical/in-demand skill?

just like how not everyone is cut out for STEM, not everybody is fit to be a business owner.

Point blank.

Not everyone has that entrepreneurial spirit, and as far as the black community is concerned, a lot of people don't even have access to the Wealth and resources to even START a lucrative business.

For those who lack the start-up cash, creativity and the entrepreneurial spirit, education beyond just a bachelors is the safest bet. After that, then maybe they can partner with some people who have more of that business-savvy mindset