Burnout continues to pose serious challenges across science, technology, engineering, math, and medicine (STEMM) professions—but its impact is not equally distributed. In newly published proceedings from a National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM), research co-authored by Clarkson University’s Dr. Amber Stephenson reveals that women and early-career professionals are among those most at risk.
The findings are part of a broader effort by NASEM to assess burnout across STEMM fields. Following its October 2024 workshop, NASEM commissioned three comprehensive reports to examine the causes, consequences, and potential solutions for burnout in these critical sectors. Dr. Stephenson and her colleagues – including Dr. Alden Lai (NYU; lead), Dr. Erin E. Sullivan (Suffolk University), Dr. Kenneth Z. Wee (NYU), and Dr. Mark Linzer (Hennepin Healthcare and the University of Minnesota) – focused on the consequences of burnout. Their review screened 7,549 articles, with 133 full-text studies analyzed to understand how burnout affects scientists, engineers, and health professionals.
“While burnout is a growing concern across all areas of STEMM, our findings show it disproportionately affects certain groups. This points to a need for more equity-focused interventions that address the unique challenges faced by underrepresented and early-career professionals,” said Stephenson.
Their research underscores the importance of targeted solutions and a nuanced approach to well-being across the STEMM workforce.