Is Elizabeth Holmes An Outlier: Women in STEM (Part I)

“There are more men named John running large companies than women.”

She steps into the room full of men, black turtleneck sweater and her hair tied back. She stands before them, puts on a deep voice, and begins. They are all in awe, they say yes, she is now as powerful as they are. In ten years the Stanford drop-out, Elizabeth Holmes, was supported by influential personalities and became one of the most important women in the STEM world. Her ability to convince others to blindly invest in her was unprecedented—she made millions. In the end, she was too good to be true; Holmes is now facing charges of fraud and has stepped down as CEO of Theranos.

STEM industries have historically been led by men, and a large gender gap still exists in the number of students, faculty members, and workers in that space. Women all over the world face strong sexism and intimidation while entering STEM careers, forcing them to adapt to male-dominated spaces. Holmes was once the beacon of hope for many female entrepreneurs, a role model for girls who grew interested in tech and science. Regardless of her downfall and questionable actions (a.k.a. crimes), Holmes is still a woman who faced different hurdles while being a student, an entrepreneur, a professional, and a CEO.

I believe there is no “Holmes effect,” and that she is, in fact, an outlier. But breaking the glass ceiling, gaining credibility, and taking power in these industries are still some of the hardest challenges women face. Female students, teachers, tech professionals, entrepreneurs, and CEOs share their stories to show how women supporting women can reduce the gap in STEM, despite cases like Holmes.