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We live in a time where technological advancement has broken down numerous barriers in terms of what human kind human in believed to be possible. However, that ability to break down barriers has not found its way toward the progression of diversity in the STEM fields. Despite not only the STEM fields’ growth in necessity and popularity, but the progression of gender roles in society as well, the number of men and women in these jobs has not evened out. Men continue to significantly outnumber the women despite the foundation of programs intended to balance out these numbers.
Perhaps the process just requires more time to see a full effect, but I intend to focus my research on the current status of the problem. I began my research with a simple question: is there actual scientific evidence that proves men are more suited for SEM jobs, or are social pressures and influences the true causes? Based on that question I plan to write a position paper supporting my thesis that: while studies have proven that male and female brains do function differently, socially ingrained beliefs are the main causes of the disparity between men and women in STEM.
In terms of prior knowledge required, the audience does not need to do any background research as the necessary information will be included in the paper.
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I will provide sources including online articles from trusted websites and articles from academic journals. Some, such as the entry from Psychology Today, will focus on the biological differences between genders that could potentially affect performance in certain fields.
This would serve to support the opposing viewpoint which I intend to refute. To counter that, I will analyze how social pressures and influences play an even more significant role. Some sources that support my claim include “Why Are Some STEM Fields More Gender Balanced Than Others?” by Sapna Cheryan and “An Impassioned Call to Action for Gender Equity in STEM” by Linda Sax which examine some of the factors that contribute to the gender gap based on studies. “Gender Equality in Preschool STEM Programs as a Factor Determining Russia's Successful Technological Development” by O.B. Savinskaya is a source from the Russian Education & Society journal that provides a real-life example that has already proven my claim to be correct. To find these sources, I used the Lied Library’s databases focusing on the keywords “gender” and “STEM” which brought up a wide variety of results. My biggest challenge regarding these sources was narrowing them down to those which focused specifically on the causes of the disparity rather than simply statistics of it or personal experiences. Some of the material was also rather complicated to understand which further narrowed the sources I could use. I have already found some helpful sources, but I could still use more and may need to do some further analysis of the ones I have. As I write my paper, the need may also arise to do deeper research on some subtopics within my main focus. Marinara Murguia
Psychological Bulletin is an academic peer-reviewed journal that publishes research reviews and interpretations ofocauseof caus works in the field of scientific psychology. Three of the authors work in the department of psychology at the University of Washington and the other in the department of psychology at Ohio State. This makes it an incredibly reliable and also extremely helpful source. The journal article is fairly lengthy, but it focuses on breaking down the different fields with STEM and addressing the differences in diversity within some of the major disciplines. It places a keen interest on the lack of women in computer science, engineering, and physics by examining what are considered to be the most common reasons for the disparity. This includes some of the stereotypes of male dominance within them. In regards to the focus of my paper, this will likely be the most useful source, as it examines exactly what I intend to address: the factors that contribute to the gender gap in STEM. It not only gives examples, but this source includes a multitude of facts and statistics that will make it much easier to support my claims.
Psychology Today is a magazine that publishes articles researched and written by renowned psychologists and other professionals. The author, Gregory Jantz, has appeared numerous times as a consultant on news networks and has also been interviewed by newspaper publishers. While not as scholarly as some of the other sources, it is still reliable and provides a lot of insightful information. This article briefly explains some of the differences between the male and female brains while focusing on four main categories: processing, chemistry, structure, and activity. Jantz describes the differences in the use of gray matter vs white matter for processing, chemical differences between the sexes, structural variations such as the hippocampus and verbal centers, and emotional differences due to blood flow. Despite these being only a few of many biological differences, Jantz concludes that neither is better or worse because both sides have their advantages and disadvantages. This source is useful for my counterclaim which focuses on biological factors that would make one gender better suited for a job than the other. It supports my claim that these differences are not a direct causation of the lack of diversity within STEM fields.
Russian Education & Science is a Russian academic journal that focuses on different levels of education as well as their relation to family life, religion, culture, and behavioral and health problems. The work that is selected for translation in the journal is professional literature on the subjects, so they would be considered credible sources. In this particular article, Savinskaya chooses to focus on children’s early developmental years and how they affect later participation in STEM programs. He addresses the importance of teaching children about STEM, but also acknowledges the “hidden curriculum” that exists because of gender bias. He then emphasizes the need to not simply treat all students equally regardless of gender, but to adjust teaching styles by taking into account the needs of each gender. Thus it is important to acknowledge these “gender roles” to bridge the gap that exists. This article fits with another one of my sources by highlighting the difference between equality and equity. It supports my idea that to make a change, we must first acknowledge what it is that needs to be changed instead of acting like it never existed.
Sex Roles: A Journal of Research, which reports from a feminist perspective, is an academic science journal that focuses on issues involving gender and its impact on other aspects of people’s lives. The author of the article, Linda Sax, is a professor in the Graduate School of Education & Information Studies at UCLA. She has published several articles revolving around gender, STEM, and their progression, this being only one of many. Since it is one of her main areas of study, she would be considered a reliable source on the issue. This article in particular was published in 2013 meaning it would not be considered “new,” but in the context of the topic, it is still applicable and reliable. The journal’s and the author’s perspectives both align with my own which I can use to support my claims. However, since it is a book review, it does not have many facts or statistics, but it does provide different focuses that can help me organize my argument and paper as a whole. For example, Sax discusses the necessity to inspect STEM fields separately rather than as one big whole, the positives and negatives of male mentorships, women in leadership positions within the field, and the gender disproportion in patenting.
Frontiers in Marine Science is an open-access academic publisher that posts peer-reviewed articles on its website. This specific article as a source would be incredibly reliable and insightful as the information provided came from a focus group of women at a biology conference. That means they have personally faced discrimination and can testify to the best solutions. The purpose of the article itself is to identify gender-based problems at STEM conferences and propose solutions to those problems. The introduction provides various useful statistics concerning the percentages of women in STEM jobs, research positions, and conferences while also emphasizing the need for equity rather than equality. The authors then list the ten solutions they have come up with based on discussions from diversity focus groups. These include codes of conduct, safety officers, honor pledges, mentorship programs, focus groups, rewards for diversity programming, childcare, travel grants, badges, and a randomized program. While, at the moment, I do not intend to focus on proposing solutions to gender inequality, this article emphasizes how unwelcome and unsafe women feel in their STEM fields. This not only reflects society’s views on the matter though they may not be deliberate, it gives another reason that women may but put off by a career that they do not feel welcome in.
The Diversity (or Lack Thereof) in STEM. (2022, Aug 22). Retrieved from https://studymoose.com/the-diversity-or-lack-thereof-in-stem-essay
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