Recessions Help Nudge Women into Science Jobs

By Liz Weston

Encouraging more women to pursue careers in science, technology, education and math - the so-called STEM fields - is a worthy goal, given the potential payoff for our economy and for women who get jobs in these higher-paying fields.

One surprising way to make it happen: Suffer through a recession.

New research has found that increased unemployment leads both genders to move toward fields associated with better earnings and job prospects, and that women are more likely to shift their majors in that direction than men.