S'pore must empower women to pursue Stem careers: DPM

Despite moves to get more women into the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (Stem) fields, there is still a gender gap in these sectors, said Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat.

And that is why Singapore must make a concerted effort to empower women to pursue careers in these fields, he said.

Mr Heng, in an address at the launch of the World Engineers Summit yesterday, also said a smaller proportion of women who graduate with Stem qualifications pursue a career in a related field, compared with men.

In March, a survey by Nanyang Technological University found that just 58 per cent of women who graduate with Stem degrees or diplomas go on to have related careers.

Singapore has been doing more to encourage women to join these fields, Mr Heng said. For instance, the Promotion of Women in Engineering, Research and Science (Powers) programme was launched to create a supportive environment for female industry leaders in Stem, among other efforts.

Mr Heng also touched on the possibilities of technology and how it must be used to solve problems and improve lives.

The theme of this year's summit is "Engineering towards a post-pandemic sustainable world".

Mr Heng said engineering - from contact-tracing apps to the 3D printing of critical components - has come to the fore during the Covid-19 pandemic.

He said the world is on the cusp of another engineering renaissance - the Fourth Industrial Revolution - and a host of transformative technologies, such as artificial intelligence, robotics and quantum computing, will change the way people work, live and play.

"But technology is ultimately a tool. The critical question is how we can harness its potential to engineer solutions to improve lives," he said. "Thinking long term, one clear challenge that we must tackle is sustainability. Climate change and its impact on biodiversity are critical issues."

He said that a more integrated and interdisciplinary approach is needed to tackle future challenges.

"Over time, various branches of engineering developed, each with its own deep specialisation… But the boundaries around these various disciplines are blurring."

Mr Heng said that to tackle the complex challenges of the future, a more holistic and interdisciplinary approach is needed.

The three-day summit will feature experts from around the world who will speak on topics like sustainable living through technology and digitalisation.

Organised by the Institution of Engineers, Singapore, the biennial event is being held for the fifth time, and will conclude tomorrow.

This year, 200 people are attending in person at Resorts World Sentosa, and 800 people from around the world are participating online.

Systems engineer Kaori Sudo, who was at the opening ceremony yesterday, said the gender gap in Stem fields is narrowing. She said that there are more women in her younger sister's engineering class in university than during her time.

According to the Education Ministry's combined university intake data from 2019, women accounted for 41 per cent of the cohort in Stem courses in Singapore, up from 38 per cent in 2017.

Ms Sudo, 26, a Malaysian working in Singapore, said the next step is to address the false perception that engineering jobs are physically intensive and not suited for women.

"Especially in Singapore, women tend to think engineering work is more hands-on and requires more on-site work than other careers, which is not necessarily true."