Navigating a male dominated domain: experiences of female STEM students in higher education in Ireland

It is well established that female participation in STEM diminishes at all stages of the education pipeline. National policy in Ireland is focussed on initiatives to address the STEM gender gap from early years to the end of secondary school (age 18/19) education. However, strategy in higher education is limited, with gender equality policy primarily aimed at staff and the broader institution. This qualitative research study, involving in-depth interviews with 21 female STEM students provides new insights into the experiences of female students who choose mathematics-intensive STEM fields (physics, computer science, engineering, and mathematics), where the gender gap is most pronounced. The aim of the study was to identify how a predominately male-dominated STEM course and environment influenced female students’ experiences. Prior to entering university, participants held high self-concept and interest in STEM. Using a situated expectancy-value theoretical lens to interpret the data, the research found that unconscious gender bias in university led female students to feel undervalued by their male peers. This negatively impacted their self-beliefs and interest, resulting in female students feeling more pressure to perform and less willing to participate in the learning environment. The implications for policy, practice, and future research are considered.