Two stories and a metaphor: A Qualitative Study of Mid-Life Women’s Re-Entry into STEM Education

Abstract

This paper explores and showcases the return of two middle-aged women to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) learning, education, training and professions. We use the lenses of transformative learning theory and intersectionality to explore STEM identity development among our participant women in midlife, despite being ‘leaked out’ of the so-called STEM pipeline. We employ a qualitative phenomenological research design, conducting narrative interviews and employing thematic analysis to identify key themes for discussion. The implications derived from this small-scale study (n = 2) suggest the need for further research that may potentially be of particular interest to scholars, STEM industries and policy-makers (i) to recognise and act upon stereotypical, inequitable and one-sided views of the ‘STEM pipeline’, primarily those associated with gender and age, (ii) to acknowledge, appreciate and showcase midlife women’s entrance into STEM, thereby benefiting their own personal and professional STEM identity development, and their contributions to the STEM community, indeed to society more widely, (iii) to fund and create informal and community-driven STEM opportunities for middle-aged women to re-engage them with STEM and (iv) to re-think on the limitations proposed by the STEM pipeline metaphor and to focus their attention to a motorway junction metaphor, in which women enter and leave the STEM carriageway at many different points along the way.