• Society

Female Students Hope to Break STEM Gender Gap 

• By Rin Ousa
• January 1, 2024 7:30 PM

PHNOM PENH – Noting that female students are still under-represented in STEM fields, two students intend to break down gender barriers in this field and hope to see more women in technology.

Chhom Vechaka, a senior student majoring in Computer Science (CS) at Paragon International University, said technological proficiency has become a necessity in the digitalized world and opens up abundant career opportunities to students who are pursuing tech-related majors. However, there are still fewer women in this field even in her class at the university. 

“Initially, I had minimal exposure to computers and had no understanding of coding. During my gap year, I discovered how technology is embedded in our daily lives and the high demand for skilled professionals in this field. Therefore, I took a plunge into pursuing this CS major,” Vechaka said. 

Studying computer science is difficult as coding is a complex combination of technology and creative thinking. However, Vecheka finds it even more difficult if students do not seek help and support from teachers, mentors and classmates. 

Vecheka also spoke of diverse career paths after graduation in this tech degree. 

“After graduation, students can become frontend or backend developers which offers them opportunities to specialize in website or application development, while full-stack developers handle both aspects. Mobile app developers focus on creating applications for smartphones, and software engineers work across various software applications,” Vecheka said. 

She said that those inclined towards design can become UX/UI designers. Other roles like product managers, data analysts, and cybersecurity experts, each demand specific skills and expertise beyond basic programming knowledge.

Another senior student majoring in Management of Information Systems (MIS) at Paragon University, Sokhachan Socheata said she also noticed fewer women in tech. 

Socheata said she had a keen interest in business and technology since she was young. She was quite indecisive about studying one specific major as those two fields are her favorite. Luckily, she could find this MIS major which is a combination of business and technology. 

As a business and tech enthusiast, Socheata explores more opportunities abroad and notices people are now changing their mindsets towards women in tech. 

“People start to prioritize women when it comes to tech. I did not feel excluded when I joined the international programs abroad. I could see their support and encouragement in women empowerment in tech,” Socheata said. 

Talking about challenges in this field of study, Socheata also finds it difficult as it is a combination of two different areas. However, she sees support from instructors, studying extra courses, and joining other extracurricular activities useful to her study. 

“What I love about this major is when students can utilize technology in business and projects. Besides studying at university, I am also a co-founder of Cancerco which offers online health information and consulting services regarding cancer-related issues,” Socheata said. 

“This major can provide various careers including data science, data analytic, web developer, project manager, business analyst, information security, tech entrepreneur, business owner, etc”, she said. 

Tech is complex yet advantageous, Vecheka and Socheata hope to see more female students in tech, try to challenge stereotypes and break gender barriers in tech.