scholarly journals Spotlight on Women of Color in STEM

2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 291-296 ◽  
Author(s):  
Catalina Flores
Keyword(s):  
Gender Equality ◽  
Women Of Color ◽  
Stem Fields ◽  
Science Technology ◽  
Social Structural ◽  
And Mathematics ◽  
Attraction And Retention ◽  
Deliberate Effort ◽  
Structural Perspective

The focal article by Miner et al. (2018) convincingly argues that industrial and organizational (I-O) psychology professionals share a responsibility to adopt a social-structural perspective in understanding why women are underrepresented in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. This approach offers the best path forward for explaining the disparity and improving the attraction and retention of women in these fields (Miner et al., 2018). In conjunction with the approach described, a deliberate effort to cast a spotlight on women of color is necessary, as they are the most marginalized, yet are often excluded from conversations about gender equality.

Navigating the Landscape of the STEM Professoriate

2019 ◽  
pp. 22-65
Author(s):  
Pamela M. Leggett-Robinson ◽  
Brandi Campbell Villa
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Literature Review ◽  
Women Of Color ◽  
Institutional Racism ◽  
Stem Fields ◽  
Self Presentation ◽  
Science Technology ◽  
Trade Magazines ◽  
And Mathematics ◽  
Theses And Dissertations

In 1976, the challenges faced by women of color who pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields were first brought to national attention. Forty-two years later, the authors re-examine the challenges, barriers, and successes of women of color in STEM higher education. This chapter examines the landscape of the STEM professoriate through a literature review (journals, trade magazines, theses, and dissertations) and reflective shorts and quotes from women of color navigating the STEM professoriate. The literature review spans a 10-year period (2008-2018). Both the review and the reflections focus on the areas of STEM belonging, self-presentation, stereotyping, institutional racism, discrimination, and tokenism as challenges faced by women of color in the STEM professoriate. Additionally, mechanisms used by women of color to navigate and succeed despite these barriers, such as mentoring, are explored throughout.

scholarly journals Bridging Individual and Social-Structural Perspectives

2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 331-334
Author(s):  
Kristi Lavigne ◽  
Rachel Rauvola
Keyword(s):  
Paradigm Shift ◽  
Adverse Outcomes ◽  
Stem Fields ◽  
Gender Inequity ◽  
Current Structure ◽  
Systems Perspective ◽  
Social Structural ◽  
Multiple Levels ◽  
Deliberate Effort ◽  
Structural Perspective

A paradigm shift toward a social-structural perspective may provide a better understanding of the gender inequity in STEM fields than its predecessor, but this perspective falls prey to the focal article authors’ (Miner et al., 2018) own criticisms: It offers an incomplete account of the phenomenon of interest. We argue that a multilevel systems perspective is the most appropriate approach when trying to understand any issue, especially an issue as dense as gender inequity in STEM. A deliberate effort to understand this phenomenon dynamically across levels and time can expand the scope of industrial and organizational (I-O) psychologists’ influence and can better protect us against interventions that result in unintended, adverse outcomes. Below, we discuss the importance of looking across multiple levels simultaneously to understand the temporal and interactional nature of individual and social-structural constructs. Without this depth of understanding, a disruption of the current structure may lead to an unstable, or unanticipated, new structure.

Navigating the Landscape of the STEM Professoriate

2021 ◽  
pp. 45-73
Author(s):  
Pamela M. Leggett-Robinson ◽  
Brandi Campbell Villa
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Literature Review ◽  
Women Of Color ◽  
Institutional Racism ◽  
Stem Fields ◽  
Self Presentation ◽  
Science Technology ◽  
Trade Magazines ◽  
And Mathematics ◽  
Theses And Dissertations

In 1976, the challenges faced by women of color who pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields were first brought to national attention. Forty-two years later, the authors re-examine the challenges, barriers, and successes of women of color in STEM higher education. This chapter examines the landscape of the STEM professoriate through a literature review (journals, trade magazines, theses, and dissertations) and reflective shorts and quotes from women of color navigating the STEM professoriate. The literature review spans a 10-year period (2008-2018). Both the review and the reflections focus on the areas of STEM belonging, self-presentation, stereotyping, institutional racism, discrimination, and tokenism as challenges faced by women of color in the STEM professoriate. Additionally, mechanisms used by women of color to navigate and succeed despite these barriers, such as mentoring, are explored throughout.

Inside the Double Bind: A Synthesis of Empirical Research on Undergraduate and Graduate Women of Color in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics

2011 ◽  
Vol 81 (2) ◽  
pp. 172-209 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Ong ◽  
Carol Wright ◽  
Lorelle Espinosa ◽  
Gary Orfield
Keyword(s):  
Women Of Color ◽  
Policy Implications ◽  
Underrepresented Minority ◽  
Stem Fields ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Science Technology ◽  
The Status ◽  
Underrepresentation Of Women ◽  
And Mathematics ◽  
Experiences Of Women

In this article, Maria Ong, Carol Wright, Lorelle Espinosa, and Gary Orfield review nearly forty years of scholarship on the postsecondary educational experiences of women of color in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Their synthesis of 116 works of scholarship provides insight into the factors that influence the retention, persistence, and achievement of women of color in STEM fields. They argue that the current underrepresentation of women of color in STEM fields represents an unconscionable underutilization of our nation's human capital and raises concerns of equity in the U.S. educational and employment systems. They refute the pervasive myth that underrepresented minority women are less interested in pursuing STEM fields and then present a complex portrait of the myriad factors that influence the undergraduate and graduate experiences of women of color in STEM fields. Finally, the authors discuss the policy implications of their findings and highlight gaps in the literature where further research is needed, providing a knowledge base for educators, policy makers, and researchers to continue the mission of advancing the status of women of color in STEM.

scholarly journals Gender Differences in Academic Efficacy across STEM Fields

2021 ◽  
pp. 073112142110286
Author(s):  
Jennifer Ashlock ◽  
Miodrag Stojnic ◽  
Zeynep Tufekci
Keyword(s):  
Gender Differences ◽  
Gender Gap ◽  
Meaning Making ◽  
Stem Fields ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Science Technology ◽  
Middle Schoolers ◽  
Self Assessments ◽  
Math Grades ◽  
And Mathematics

Cultural processes can reduce self-selection into math and science fields, but it remains unclear how confidence in computer science develops, where women are currently the least represented in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics). Few studies evaluate both computer skills and self-assessments of skill. In this paper, we evaluate gender differences in efficacy across three STEM fields using a data set of middle schoolers, a particularly consequential period for academic pathways. Even though girls and boys do not significantly differ in terms of math grades and have similar levels of computer skill, the gender gap in computer efficacy is twice as large as the gap for math. We offer support for disaggregation of STEM fields, so the unique meaning making around computing can be addressed.

scholarly journals Breaking Down Silos Working Meeting: An Approach to Fostering Cross-Disciplinary STEM–DBER Collaborations through Working Meetings

2019 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. mr3
Author(s):  
Daniel L. Reinholz ◽  
Tessa C. Andrews
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Education Research ◽  
Stem Education ◽  
Research Priorities ◽  
Deep Understanding ◽  
Institutional Transformation ◽  
Stem Fields ◽  
Professional Societies ◽  
Science Technology ◽  
And Mathematics

There has been a recent push for greater collaboration across the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields in discipline-based education research (DBER). The DBER fields are unique in that they require a deep understanding of both disciplinary content and educational research. DBER scholars are generally trained and hold professional positions in discipline-specific departments. The professional societies with which DBER scholars are most closely aligned are also often discipline specific. This frequently results in DBER researchers working in silos. At the same time, there are many cross-cutting issues across DBER research in higher education, and DBER researchers across disciplines can benefit greatly from cross-disciplinary collaborations. This report describes the Breaking Down Silos working meeting, which was a short, focused meeting intentionally designed to foster such collaborations. The focus of Breaking Down Silos was institutional transformation in STEM education, but we describe the ways the overall meeting design and structure could be a useful model for fostering cross-­disciplinary collaborations around other research priorities of the DBER community. We describe our approach to meeting recruitment, premeeting work, and inclusive meeting design. We also highlight early outcomes from our perspective and the perspectives of the meeting participants.

Persistence of Latinas in STEM at an R1 Higher Education Institution in Texas

2020 ◽  
pp. 153819272091836
Author(s):  
Elsa Gonzalez ◽  
Cecilia Contreras Aguirre ◽  
Joenie Myers
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Education Institution ◽  
Resilience Theory ◽  
Stem Fields ◽  
Higher Education Institution ◽  
Stem Majors ◽  
Latina Students ◽  
Science Technology ◽  
Tier 1 ◽  
And Mathematics

This study examined the success and persistence of Latina students in the complex environment of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields at a Tier 1 Research higher education institution in Texas. For this qualitative study, 10 Latina students pursuing STEM majors were interviewed within a framework focusing on Greene’s resilience theory. Results of this study suggest a strong likelihood for Latinas to succeed in STEM fields because of their development of resilience.

Old Problem, New Perspectives: Applying Anzaldúan Concepts to Underrepresentation in STEM

2020 ◽  
pp. 089484532090179
Author(s):  
Ellen Hawley McWhirter ◽  
Rachel Gali Cinamon
Keyword(s):  
Stem Education ◽  
Minority Groups ◽  
Skills Training ◽  
Ethnic Minority Groups ◽  
Stem Fields ◽  
Top Down ◽  
Work Settings ◽  
Science Technology ◽  
Information Awareness ◽  
And Mathematics

Women and members of many ethnic minority groups continue to be significantly underrepresented in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education and work settings. In this article, we propose that Gloria Anzaldúa’s concepts of nepantla and nepantleras/os can be used to enrich perspectives on underrepresentation among those studying, working, and persisting in STEM fields. We describe how diversity practices may fail to address and foster inclusion in STEM education and workplaces and link inclusion and belonging to engagement and retention in STEM. Recommendations are offered for combining top-down and bottom-up strategies providing information, awareness, and skills training in STEM environments, including recognizing and engaging the insights and experiences of nepantleras/os.

scholarly journals Maybe She Is Relatable

2018 ◽  
Vol 42 (2) ◽  
pp. 192-219 ◽  
Author(s):  
Evava S. Pietri ◽  
India R. Johnson ◽  
Ezgi Ozgumus ◽  
Alison I. Young
Keyword(s):  
Gender Bias ◽  
Harmful Effect ◽  
Women Scientists ◽  
Woman Scientist ◽  
Stem Fields ◽  
Female Scientist ◽  
Control Information ◽  
Women College Students ◽  
Science Technology ◽  
And Mathematics

In the current research, we explored whether informing women about gender bias in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) would enhance their identification with a female scientist and whether this increased identification would in turn protect women from any adverse effects of gender bias information. We found that, relative to a control information condition, gender bias information promoted beliefs that a successful woman (but not a man) scientist had encountered bias and encouraged identification with that woman scientist. Feelings of empathic concern was an important mechanism underlying this increased identification (Experiments 2 and 3). Moreover, when presented with a man scientist, information about gender bias in STEM decreased female participants’ anticipated belonging and trust in a STEM environment, compared to participants in a control information condition (Experiment 1a and 1b). However, identifying with a woman scientist after learning about sexism in STEM fields alleviated this harmful effect. Finally, compared to those in the control condition, women college students who learned about gender bias reported greater interest in interacting with a woman STEM professor at their university (Experiment 3). Our results suggest that interventions that teach women about gender bias in STEM will help women identify with women scientists. Additional online materials for this article are available on PWQ’s website at http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/suppl/10.1177/0361684317752643 .

scholarly journals Perceptions of stereotypes applied to women who publicly communicate their STEM work

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Merryn McKinnon ◽  
Christine O’Connell
Keyword(s):  
Institutional Change ◽  
Role Models ◽  
Stem Fields ◽  
Cultural Backgrounds ◽  
Negative Stereotypes ◽  
Science Technology ◽  
Gender Biases ◽  
Academic Settings ◽  
Predominantly Female ◽  
And Mathematics

AbstractGender biases and stereotypes are prevalent in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields, which can create obstacles for the attraction, retention and progression of girls and women to STEM studies and careers. There are many initiatives which are used to attempt to address these biases and stereotypes, including the use of visible role models. This study explores the perceptions of the stereotypes applied to female STEM professionals who publicly speak about their work in both academic and non-academic settings. Using workshops with over 300 participants, predominantly female STEM professionals, from over 25 different cultural backgrounds, the results showed women who publicly communicate their work are likely to be stereotyped as ‘bitchy’, ‘bossy’, and ‘emotional’—often by their own gender. These findings suggest that women may be in a more vulnerable position when communicating publicly about their work, which could have implications for them participating fully in their careers. It may also have implications for programs which use role models to address prevailing STEM stereotypes. Systematic cultural and institutional change is needed in STEM fields to address the underlying bias and negative stereotypes facing women. However, it should be ensured that the intended solutions to facilitate this change are not compounding the problem.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document