Current trends in broadening participation tend to emphasize the importance of increasing
the number and diversity of people who participate in STEM programs and experiences.
However, attention needs to be paid to how people are asked to engage with STEM. The
“cultural norms of STEM”—that is, the accepted patterns of practice that make up the
standard ways of speaking participating, learning, and working in STEM—can diminish
engagement among those who don't fit the “norm.”