Closing the persistent gender gap in science and math

Square-rimmed glasses, a crisp lab coat and a Y chromosome—that was how seventh-grader Beth envisioned a scientist prior to visiting the Fermilab, a high-energy physics lab in Chicago. Unlike many laboratories, the Fermilab offers in-person and virtual tours, encouraging the community to experience science and interact directly with a diverse group of physicists. These encounters allow visitors to view science at work and challenge common preconceived notions of who is doing science and of what scientific careers entail. After her visit, Beth’s picture of a scientist was “completely different than what it used to be.” She now envisioned a woman.

For the many who haven’t had the opportunity to see a high-energy physics lab, however, science is often considered an elusive world, filled mostly with the men in white lab coats of Beth’s imagination. Although the popular perception may be that the gender gap in science and mathematics has dissipated, statistics from the Bureau of Labor show that women still hold relatively low percentages of jobs in a variety of STEM (science, technology, engineering,and mathematics) fields, especially in engineering. Strikingly, women hold close to half of all jobs in the United States but less than a quarter of STEM jobs. This disparity cannot be attributed to gender differences in STEM-related ability—a comparison of male and female performance in upper level science reveals negligible differences in aptitude. Rather, it appears that the disproportionately low representation of females in STEM professions acts through a feedback mechanism, in which a girl’s potential interest in STEM subjects may be lessened due to an overall lack of female role models in STEM fields. In a report by the American Association of University Women (AAUW), “Why So Few: Women in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics,” the AAUW suggests that recruiting more women in STEM-related fields begins with encouraging girls to develop an interest in science at a young age. In addition to exposing girls to STEM-related curriculum and programming, it is crucial that girls have access to strong female role models.

Extra programming is also essential for bridging gaps of economic disparity. In Malcolm Gladwell’s “Outliers,” he cites a study about the achievement gap that develops between students who come from upper and lower class families over the course of third to fifth grade. The study draws the conclusion that socioeconomic class does not inherently affect the in-class ability of these young students to learn, but rather, a majority of the differential achievement can be attributed to the amount of learning the children are engaged in over the summer: high (in the case of wealthier students) or low (in the case of poorer students). “Outliers” links this phenomenon to access to learning materials around the house and to a student’s opportunity to participate in extra-curricular activities such as summer camps. More affluent school systems and those that prioritize community spending provide children with more after-school and summer academic opportunities. Compare this to community program related funding in poorer school districts, like Durham, where community programs received only 1 percent of funding in 2010.

In a comparison of end-of-grade science tests at North Carolina public schools, 85.2 percent of fifth graders scored at or above grade level in the Chapel Hill-Carrboro district, but only 48.9 percent of students scored at this level in the Durham district. Based on these results, it is clear that the Durham public schools can particularly benefit from extra support in science education. Durham doesn’t just fall behind its more affluent neighboring district, it is also far below the state average of 60.8 percent. With only 1 percent of Durham public school system’s funds being used for after-school and summer camp opportunities, the achievement gap between Durham and other North Carolina school systems is not surprising.

As a response to both gender inequity in STEM fields and a dearth of extracurricular opportunities to engage with science for Durham students, FEMMES (Females Excelling More in Math, Engineering, and Science) provides fourth through sixth grade girls with opportunities to perform hands-on experiments supervised by undergraduate females. Through various free educational outreach programs such as an after-school and Saturday program, along with an annual summer camp and capstone event, Duke undergraduates, graduates and professors serve as mentors and role models while engaging the girls in math, engineering and science related activities. The interactions and relationships formed through these activities have increased girls’ confidence and interest in STEM fields and will hopefully inspire the girls to pursue careers in science, math and engineering.

If you would like to get involved, FEMMES will be holding its annual capstone event on Feb. 18.

Haley Barrier, Trinity ’13; Salwa Zahalka, Trinity ’13; Angela Jiang Trinity ’12; Baninder Baidwan Trinity ’12 and Nicole Page Trinity ’12 are program directors for FEMMES. This column is the second installment in a semester-long series of weekly columns written by dPS members addressing civic service and engagement at Duke.