Women in Science: ���Challenges at the Intersection

of Gender, Race & Culture Mónica I. Feliú-Mójer

Manager of Outreach Programs Dept. of Biostatistics

University of Washington

Verónica Guajardo Assistant Director Washington MESA

Community College Program

Stephanie Gardner Associate Director LSAMP Program

University of Washington

Sponsored by:

Dept. of Biostatistics, University of Washington MESA Community College Program

Louis Stoke Alliance for Minority Participation Diversity Committee, School of Public Health

Women: 50% of U.S. population... 28% S&E workforce

SOURCE: Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities in Science and Engineering 2013

Women of color: 16% of U.S. population... 5% of S&E workforce

Seeds of underrepresentation

•  Perceived gender barriers and stereotypes are high (e.g. science not for girls)

• Middle school is a critical point

• Gap between STEM interest and career choice

• Girls of color have high interest in STEM but fewer supports, less exposure and lower academic achievement

SOURCE: Generation STEM: What Girls say about Science, Technology, Engineering and Math

More women than men earn higher education degrees, but more men earn S&E degrees

Overall

58% bachelor’s

60% master’s

50% PhD’s

Math

43.1% bachelor’s

39.9% master’s

29.9% PhD’s

Biosciences

57.8% bachelor’s

56.2% master’s

52.2% PhD’s

Physical sciences

40.9% bachelor’s

40.2% master’s

32.9% PhD’s

Computer sciences

18.2% bachelor’s

27.5% master’s

21.5% PhD’s

Engineering

18.4% bachelor’s

22.3% master’s

23.2% PhD’s

Data shown for 2010 only. SOURCE: Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities in Science and Engineering 2013

Women of color earn 12% bachelor’s, ���10% master’s and 9% PhD degrees

SOURCE: Accelerating Change for Women Faculty of Color in STEM: Policy, Action and Collaboration

10.6%

7.9%

3.9%

Underrepresentation persists in���leadership and senior faculty positions

SOURCES: Beyond Bias and Barriers: Fulfilling the Potential of Women in Academic Science and Engineering; Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities in Science and Engineering 2013

Women, Full-time professorships Women of color, Full-time professorships

Factors contributing to the underrepresentation

of women in science

Psychosocial factors

ADAPTED FROM: M Johns, T Schmader, and A Martens (2005) Psychological Science. SOURCE: Beyond Bias and Barriers: Fulfilling the Potential of Women in Academic Science and Engineering

•  Isolation

• Stereotype threat

•  ‘Keep up and catch up’

Moss-Racusin et al. (2012) PNAS

Implicit bias

• Institutional policies

• Lack of roles models, mentors and sponsors

• Lack of outreach

• Lower salaries

Other factors

“Science careers in the context of gender and race or ethnic bias have been a major part of our lives, setting us apart at every turn.” - Jewel Plummer Cobb!

Double Bind : Sexism and Racism

The Double Bind: The Price of Being a Minority Woman in Science (1975)

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What can we do?������

How can we build a more supportive environment?

Discuss

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Action!

What can we do as communities to improve the climate for women in science?

How do we engage people to turn them into

advocates?

How do we address the challenges (e.g. implicit bias)?

How do we create synergy? How can we leverage our positions within

our communities to effect change?

Who are the key players in this conversation?

What can we do as individuals to improve the climate for women in science?

What can we do as an institution to improve the climate for women in science?

How do we move towards action?

Action!

Some useful links Accelerating Change for Women Faculty of Color in STEM: Policy, Action, and Collaboration Institute for Women’s Policy Research (IWPR)

Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities in Science and Engineering National Science Foundation (NSF)

Causal Factors and Interventions Workshop National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Why So Few? Women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics American Association of University Women

Generation STEM: What Girls Say about Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Girl Scout Research Institute

The Double Bind: The Price of Being a Minority Women in Science American Association for the Advancement of Science

Borinqueña: A New Space for Puerto Rican and Hispanic Women in Science Ciencia Puerto Rico

Association of Women in Science (AWIS)

Scientista Foundation