Annotated Bibliography
I will make sure to add resources to this as I find/read them, so check back periodically!
Compilations
Generation STEM: What Girls Say about Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (2012)
A compilation by the Girl Scouts of the USA focused on the following three topics:
1) How girls perceive STEM subjects and fields
2) What factors encourage or discourage girls’ interest and engagement in STEM
3) What girls’ future career plans are and whether they include STEM
And based on:
1) 11 focus groups of 8-18 girls each conducted in 6 diverse geographic locations in the US (Austin, Texas; Seattle, WA; Denver, CO; Orlando, FL; Wilmington, DE; Indianapolis, IN)
2) An online questionnaire given to 852 girls ages 14-15
Why So Few: Women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (2010)
A compilation by the American Association of University Women and commissioned by the National Science Foundation. 10 Chapters, 134 pages. The 10 chapter titles are given below. Each chapter ends with specific recommendations.
1) Women and Girls in STEM
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Compiled statistics from a variety of NSF studies/surveys about the proportion of women at various steps in the STEM pipeline from high school through the workplace
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A summary of causes that have been put forward to explain leaks in the pipeline, including cognitive sex differences, lack of interest, workplace environment and bias.
2) Beliefs about Intelligence
3) Stereotypes
4) Self-Assessment
5) Spatial Skills
6) The College Student Experience
7) University and College Faculty
8) Implicit Bias
9) Workplace Bias
10) Recommendations
Beyond Bias and Barriers: Fulfilling the Potential of Women in Academic Science and Engineering (2006)
A compilation by the National Academy of Science, the National Academy of Engineering and the Institute of Medicine and approved by the National Research Council. The committee was charges with the following tasks, and this publication is a compilation of their findings
1) To review and assess the research on gender issues in science and engineering, including innate differences in cognition, implicit bias, and faculty diversity.
2) To examine institutional culture and the practices in academic in- stitutions that contribute to and discourage talented individuals from realizing their full potential as scientists and engineers.
3) To determine effective practices to ensure that women who receive their doctorates in science and engineering have access to a wide array of career opportunities in the academy and in other research settings.
4) To determine effective practices for recruiting women scientists and engineers to faculty positions and retaining them in these positions.
5) To develop findings and provide recommendations based on these data and other information to guide faculty, deans, department chairs, and other university leaders; scientific and professional societies; funding orga- nizations; and government agencies in maximizing the potential of women in science and engineering careers.
Opinion Pieces
“Breaking the Bias Against Women in Science”
A series of New York Times Editorials published in October, 2012 reacting to this study about the persistent unconscious bias against women in science. Each one addresses the question of whether affirmative action is the correct course.
“Why Women Still Can’t Have it All” by Anne-Marie Slaughter
published in the Atlantic August 2012
Dr. Slaughter describes her reasoning for leaving a position as the first woman director of policy planning at the State Department. She focuses on the barriers she sees as still preventing women from retaining the highest positions in government, including family values, workplace practices and the traditional career arc.
“Pregnancy and Science Careers” by Sue V. Rosser from Inside Higher Ed April 2012
Rosser compiles a variety of horror stories about the experiences of pregnant women at various stages of the science pipeline (including herself). Includes links to several relevant publications, studies and surveys. Ends with 7 concrete recommendations.
Reactions to this 2012 study by Betz and Sekaquaptewa called “My Fair Physicist: Feminine Math and Science Role Models Demotivate Young Girls”:
1) “Don’t Worry So Much About Being the Right Type of Science Role Model”
2) “Why ‘Pinkifying’ Science Does More Harm Than Good” by Nicole on the SkepChick Blog. Includes a permanent link to the controversial “Science, it’s a Girl Thing” video produced by the European Commission.
3) Kate’s Women in Astronomy Blog Post reaction.
Studies and News Articles About Them
“Gender Segregation in Elite Academic Science” by Ecklund et al. in Gender and Society, August 2012
A recent study on the various reasons that men and women scientist cite for why there is a greater proportion of women in Biology than in Physics.
A news article about the Ecklund study
Information about Women Scientists (famous and contemporary!)