A N A C A R N A V A L W W W . C A R N A V A L L A B . O R G

Women in Science Numbers, challenges, and ways forward

March 20,2015 City College of New York

Young Women’s Leadership Conference

The Carnaval Lab, and CCNY’s WinS group

http://ccnywins.wix.com/womeninscience

CCNY WinS seeks to address one problem: the proportion of women in Science goes down as they advance in their careers. We want to change that.

Shen, Nature 2013

The proportion of women studying and practicing Science has risen over the last 10 years. Yet, women are disproportionally driven away from scientific careers.

And babies DO matter.

Shen, Nature 2013

Female representation among science and engineering job positions has lagged behind the gains in graduate education.

One of the reasons is that women are just not applying for

jobs!

Shen, Nature 2013

But those women who DO apply for jobs are more likely than men to receive interviews and

offers.

They are also more successful at getting promoted.

0  

10  

20  

30  

40  

50  

60  

Biological  scien3sts  

Chemists  and  materials  scien3sts  

Environmental  scien3sts  and  geoscien3sts  

Computer  scien3sts  and  

systems  analysts  

Computer  programmers  

Computer  so?ware  engineers  

Chemical  engineers  

Civil  engineers   Electrical  and  electronics  engineers  

Mechanical  engineers  

Percen

tage  of  W

omen

 Women are underrepresented in many science

and engineering occupations.

Percentage of Employed STEM Professionals Who Are Women, Selected Professions, 2008

Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2009, Women in the labor force: A databook (Report 1018) (Washington, DC), Table 11.

Shen, Nature 2013

AND MIND THE SALARY GAP! Female scientists in the United States earn much less than men, on average, with the

difference strongly varying by field.

This trend is seen in industry and many, many different fields.

We want YOU to help us change this.

Why So Few? Women in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics

To download the 2010 report www.aauw.org

To contact the researchers aauw-research@aauw.org

http://www.aauw.org/resource/why-so-few-women-in-stem-ppt-long/

It all starts with you!

Girls’ performance and participation in math and science subjects in high school

has improved over time and, in some cases, has surpassed that of boys.

AAUW 2010 Report and Slide

“Boys do not pursue mathematical activities at a higher rate than girls do because they

are better at math. They do so, at least partially, because they think they are better.”

—Shelley Correll, professor

AAUW 2010 Report and Slide

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Female   Male  

Percen

tage  

Intent  of  First-­‐Year  College  Students  to  Major  in  Science  and  Engineering  Fields,  by  Gender,  2006  

Physical  sciences  Mathema3cs/  sta3s3cs  Engineering  Computer  sciences  Biological/  agricultural  sciences  

Women are less likely than men are to declare a STEM major in college.

Source: Commission on Professionals in Science and Technology. Data derived from Cooperative Institutional Research Program, Higher Education Research Institute, Graduate School of Education and Information Studies, University of California, Los Angeles, The American Freshman: National Norms for Fall 1990 through Fall 2006, www.gseis.ucla.edu/heri/heri.htm.

AAUW 2010 Report and Slide

AAUW drew on the large body of academic research on gender in science in a number of fields and

identified several research findings that help to explain the underrepresentation

of women and girls in STEM.

AAUW 2010 Report and Slide

Girls’ achievements and interests in math and science are shaped by

the environment around them.

AAUW 2010 Report and Slide

Believing in the potential for intellectual growth, in and of itself, improves

outcomes.

AAUW 2010 Report and Slide

In math and science, a growth mindset benefits girls.

Fixed Mindset Growth Mindset Intelligence is static. Intelligence can be

developed. Leads to a desire to look smart and therefore a tendency to

Leads to a desire to learn and therefore a tendency to

•  avoid challenges •  embrace challenges

•  give up easily due to obstacles

•  persist despite obstacles

•  see effort as fruitless •  see effort as path to mastery

•  ignore useful feedback

•  learn from criticism

•  be threatened by others’ success

•  be inspired by others’ success

�  How can we, at City College, help high school girls have a growth mindset?

�  What resources can you identify – at school or home – to enable this growth mindset?

AAUW 2010 Report and Slide

Negative stereotypes about girls’ and women’s abilities in math

and science persist despite girls’ and women’s considerable gains in these areas in the last few decades.

What can we do?

AAUW 2010 Report and Slide

Even people who consciously reject negative stereotypes about women in science can still

hold those beliefs at an unconscious level.

•  Women in “male” jobs are viewed as less competent than their male peers.

•  When women are clearly competent, they are often considered less “likable.”

AAUW 2010 Report and Slide

What I have learned (slide by Monique Morrow, CISCO)