3. But that’s not what we
always see.
Women have earned 57% of all bachelor’s degrees and about
half of all science and engineering (S&E) bachelor’s degrees
since the late 1990s. However, women’s level of participation in
S&E fields varies, and within fields it tends to be consistent over
every degree level.
Despite considerable progress over the past two decades, the
gap in educational attainment separating underrepresented
minorities from whites and Asians remains wide. In general,
underrepresented minorities are less likely than whites and
Asians to graduate from high school, enroll in college, and earn
a college degree.
4.
5. Why is the problem of discrimination still
pervasive in the STEM community?
IMPLICIT BIAS.
*there are other problems too, but this is one that we can actually address and act upon right now!
6. What is Implicit Bias?
● It’s the bias in judgment and/or behavior that results from subtle cognitive
processes (e.g., implicit attitudes and implicit stereotypes)
● These often operate at a level below conscious awareness and without
intentional control
7. How is this happening?
● Implicit bias = unintentional discrimination
● People are not consciously aware that they hold biased attitudes. In fact, the
realization that we could all be perpetuating stereotypes could even be
disturbing.
● You could be a person who strongly believes in diversity and still be
perpetuating stereotypes, unconsciously. But now, there’s these tests you
can take. You can become more self-aware of your biases.
● But self-awareness is not enough. The real challenge lies in keeping your
biases in check.
8. What can I do to help?
- Be actively mindful!
- Everyone has implicit bias, but that doesn’t make it okay (we can’t be dismissive of it).
Just because it’s the status quo, it doesn’t mean it needs to stay that way.
- “Recent social science research confirms that implicit biases appear to be supplanting
explicit racism. “ - Unintentional Discrimination Is as Harmful as Real Bias - New York Times
- “Only one-fifth of physics Ph.D.’s in this country are awarded to women, and only about half
of those women are American; of all the physics professors in the United States, only 14
percent are women. The numbers of black and Hispanic scientists are even lower; in a
typical year, 13 African-Americans and 20 Latinos of either sex receive Ph.D.’s in
physics....The most powerful determinant of whether a woman goes on in science might be
whether anyone encourages her to go on.” - Why Are There Still So Few Women in Science? - New
York Times
