New study suggests that immigrant children are more likely to pursue STEM majors in college
By Meera Jagannathan for MarketWatch
Some kids who immigrate to the U.S. are more likely than U.S.-born children to pursue science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) majors in college, according to a new study from Duke University and Stanford University researchers.
In fact, 36% of immigrants who come to America after age 10 and who emigrate from nations whose main language is very different from English wind up majoring in STEM subjects in college, the study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found. In contrast, around 20% of American-born college students pursue STEM majors.
Immigrants make up more than half of all Ph.D-holding STEM workers, according to the National Bureau of Economic Research, and occupy “a disproportionate share of jobs” in U.S. STEM occupations. Their numbers have only grown over time: The share of foreign-born workers in STEM occupations doubled from 1990 to 2015, per the American Immigration Council, rising from 11.9% to 24.3%.
About the Author
Alexis GajewskiAlexis Gajewski
Senior Content Strategist
Alexis Gajewski is a manufacturing writer and editor with nearly 20 years of experience covering the people, practices, and technologies that keep industrial facilities running. For more than a decade, she served as Senior Content Strategist for Plant Services, creating content for plant managers, engineers, and maintenance professionals on a variety of industrial topics.
During her tenure, Alexis worked to develop the brand’s digital strategy and helped launch and produce Great Question: A Manufacturing Podcast. She also created The Lighter Side of Manufacturing, a weekly blog that explored the inventive and sometimes humorous side of the industry.
Alexis co-founded Influential Women in Manufacturing, a recognition program that honored 49 women in its first two years, earned an industry award for Best Product Launch, and received a proclamation from Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and a commendation from U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth.
She also led newsroom operations and development at a large media company where she set editorial standards, developed training curriculum, and helped support AI adoption for more than 150 editors across 80+ brands spanning manufacturing, industrial processing, automation, and more.
Additionally, Alexis works as a freelance writer and editor, and her areas of interest include continuous improvement, the skilled workforce, and the role of emerging technology on the plant floor.
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