Research
As a major part of its mission, AAUW National regularly produces widely respected research reports on subjects central to our public policy priorities. These reports draw either on large and diverse bodies of existing studies or on AAUW’s own scientifically rigorous surveys. Additionally, every year we collect data on pay equity. All reports are free for download on the web. AAUW Research Projects. Here are some examples of research reports:
- Solving the Equation - the Variables for Women’s Success in Engineering and Computing. This report, which has been used as a text book at the University of Washington, is a particularly useful resource for women going into STEM fields and their parents.
- The Simple Truth About the Gender Pay Gap, a report that is updated each year, tracks the progress of narrowing the pay gap with in-depth analysis of the many factors that are in play. For the BIPOC community, the pay gap is much larger than for White workers. With the pay gap currently at about 82%, gender equity will not be attained until 2070-2110.
- Deeper in Debt: Women and Student Loans. College debt affects female students more than male students - right after graduation and for years afterward. While we push for women to obtain higher education so they can be better paid, statistics reveal that they take on more debt than their male counterparts and they pay back their loans more slowly because of the gender pay gap.
- Our most recent report is Factory Flaw – Attrition and Retention of Women in Manufacturing. This study explores the challenges and barriers women face in these mostly male-dominated industries. The report recommends ways employers can address these longstanding issues.
The STEM fields – science, technology, engineering and mathematics - are similar to the manufacturing world in that women represent only about 17% of the workforce and they face similar barriers. That’s why we support Tech Trek, STEM Scholar Recognition and other programs that encourage women to engage and succeed in the high paying STEM fields. There are a lot of problems to solve and we need we need a talented, diverse, and educated team to find solutions.
All these studies and more are available for free on the AAUW National Research Webpage
Marion Talbot, AAUW Founder
Some AAUW Research History. Back when AAUW was first formed in 1881, many books and articles claimed that it was unnatural and unhealthy for women to be educated, especially at the college or university level. It was taken as fact that higher education would interfere with women’s ability to have children. The first research project that AAUW undertook was to demonstrate scientifically that this theory was incorrect and that education at any level did not interfere with a woman’s ability to have children.