Article 2025

Bibliometric Analysis of Women in STEM and Engineering

Science and Technology Libraries
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Abstract

This article conducts a bibliometric analysis on gender disparities in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics), with a particular focus on Engineering. Despite the increase in graduation rates among women, their representation in these fields remains low. The research examines the most relevant scientific contributions published between 2015 and 2023 on women’s participation in STEM, based on an analysis of the 200 most cited articles. The analysis was conducted in two main phases: content analysis and network analysis. In the content analysis, key trends and challenges faced by women in STEM and Engineering were identified, with emphasis on education, inclusion, diversity in the professional environment, gender inequality, and career support policies. The network analysis, conducted using the VoSviewer software, revealed clusters of relevant keywords such as “gender equality,” “women in STEM,” and “diversity,” allowing the identification of priority areas for future research and interventions. The results point to the need for interdisciplinary approaches to overcome the structural and cultural barriers that still limit women’s participation in these fields. The analysis revealed that adapting educational practices, professional support policies, and mentoring programs are essential to improve the retention and success of women in STEM. The research also highlighted the importance of addressing racial and gender inequalities, suggesting that public policies and institutional actions need to be more effective in promoting equity. The study concludes that, to foster greater diversity and inclusion in STEM, ongoing collaboration between academia, institutions, and governments is essential. © 2025 The Author(s). Published with license by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.

Keywords

Author Keywords

Bibliometric analysis Engineering education women in engineering women in STEM

Index Keywords

Engineering education female human Article academia education government Engineering research Bibliometrics analysis gender inequality participation mentoring Content analysis Engineering and mathematics Science technologies gender disparity cultural anthropology network analysis Registration of engineers Women in engineering Gender equity bibliometrics Graduation rates Support policy Woman in science, technology, engineering, and mathematic Women in science scanning transmission electron microscopy
Author Affiliations
Department of Production Engineering, Universidade Estadual Paulista "Júlio de Mesquita Filho", Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil
Department of Electrical Engineering, Universidade Estadual Paulista "Júlio de Mesquita Filho", Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil
Funding & Acknowledgements
Universidade Estadual Paulista, UNESP
The authors thank the institutions for their support in the development of this work: Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES) under Grant 88887.663584/2022-00, National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq), and S\u00E3o Paulo State University (UNESP).
Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico, CNPq
The authors thank the institutions for their support in the development of this work: Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES) under Grant 88887.663584/2022-00, National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq), and S\u00E3o Paulo State University (UNESP).
Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior, CAPES
Grant: 88887.663584/2022-00
The authors thank the institutions for their support in the development of this work: Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES) under Grant 88887.663584/2022-00, National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq), and S\u00E3o Paulo State University (UNESP).
Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior, CAPES
The authors thank the institutions for their support in the development of this work: Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES) under Grant 88887.663584/2022-00, National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq), and S\u00E3o Paulo State University (UNESP).
References 10 References
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