Close the diversity gap.

Ganapathy says too few underrepresented groups, including minorities and girls, have the opportunity to take on STEM and contribute to its development. The U.S. Department of Labor reports less than 2.4 percent of U.S. college students will graduate with a computer science degree, and of that fraction, 12 percent will be women. As author and professor Terri Griffith previously noted for CRN, about 33 percent of girls ages 13 to 17 are interested in STEM, but 3 percent of female college students actually graduate with a STEM degree. Galapathy said many minority groups are expected to become the majority in the coming years, so appealing to all groups and making them aware of opportunities will bolster growth in this department.