<p>^ I would also add that its cultural. In Iran, “everyone” seems to go into engineering. It’s considered a safe bet for jobs, it’s what parents expect, and those that do other degrees are looked at funny. Likewise, in India it used to be engineering and medicine but also now includes comp sci and probably something else. There is parental and societal pressure to go along the right path. But I know tons and tons of former engineers from such countries that had no interest in engineering and aren’t even particular keen on math. They did it because well, that is what you do.</p>
<p>I will take the stance of something between the other posts. Like so many other things, being ‘good at math’ is neither solely nature nor nurture but a complex interplay between them. </p>
<p>No doubt innate ability must matter. My D has friends at school who have been with her for 9 years with the same math training but their abilities are starkly different. Likewise some of her peers have acquired several languages and she has to really work at learning one additional language. </p>
<p>But also its not just genes either! Many kids who might be good at math or engineering are turned off early because of social and parental expectations, gender norms, and early crap teachers and experiences. The idea of expanding that pool of potential math and engineering talent is critical, even if its not for everyone. We need more math skilled people in a ton of occupations, not just engineering. </p>
<p>Our D is a math and science person and it’s mindless easy for her. She has a parent and grandparents who are former engineers, she did the ‘engineering camps’ as a kid, and a few just for girls. She definitely has that 3D ability, which has shown up a million ways all her life (I remember buying those fancy storage boxes once, and I couldn’t assemble them from flat to 3D and she was just a toddler but did it for me). </p>
<p>We’d love her to be an engineer. She could be good at it and what a great path to lots of options. But she has no interest in it! I should also add that looking back, she’s shown no interest in 3D things either. Has never wanted to take things apart, or assemble things, or figure out how 3D objects work. She doesn’t watch shows about building stuff. She doesn’t make cool But she is passionate about chemistry. Absolutely loves it and will probably go down that path. At least following her interests.</p>