This document discusses research on diversity in STEM fields and images of scientists. It begins by outlining how women are underrepresented in STEM and face barriers such as stereotypes. It then discusses how stereotypes can negatively impact performance and career opportunities. The document proposes using classroom assignments featuring diverse scientists' stories and experiences to help broaden students' views of who scientists are and can be. By exposing students to a variety of paths into science careers, it aims to help reshape their self-images and goals to consider STEM fields.

1. SELF AND SCIENTIST:
DIVERSITY AND STUDENTS’
IMAGES OF SCIENTISTS
Heather Perkins

2. WOMEN IN STEM
• Women are largely underrepresented in STEM
• Even when women enter fields at similar rates as men, they…
• Have less experience with the topics
• Earn lower GPAs
• Are more subject to attrition
• Among the many factors at play, women consistently identify stereotypes
as a major barrier to their success
National Science Foundation & NationalCenter for Science and Engineering Statistics, 2015; Riegle-Crumb & King, 2010

3. STEREOTYPES IN
STEM
• Stereotype threat – impacts
performance
• Stereotypes of individuals’ abilities –
impacts hiring and assessment
• Stereotypes about scientists –
impacts interest and persistence
• Culture of brilliance – unclear, may
impact admission, persistence, and
evaluation
Aronson, Fried, & Good, 2002; Johnson, Barnard-Brak, Saxon, &
Johnson, 2012; Leslie, Cimpian, Meyer, and Freeland, 2015;
Brickhouse & Potter, 2001; Margolis, Fisher, & Fisher, 1999

4. SELVES IN STEM
• What is the ‘self’, or an identity? What are possible-selves?
• How do selves and identities impact behavior? What happens when there is a
conflict?

5. DIVERSE STORIES IN & OUT
• The current project I’m working on starts in a community college classroom in
California

6. DIVERSE STORIES IN & OUT
• Analysis of writing shows emphasis on the paths scientists take
• Life experiences and goals
• Their traits, interests, and character
• Presence of diversity and transformation

7. CHANGE STORIES, CHANGE SELVES
• How do we build on this first study to diversify ideas about the self (both current
and future)?
• Looking at literature that discusses
• Experiences in science classrooms at all levels
• Influential factors in perceived value of schooling and science interest
• Drawing on this research to create a scale that assess
• Life experiences (particularly those that occurred in classrooms)
• Career expectations and goals
• Perceived skillsets and characteristics

8. CHANGE STORIES, CHANGE SELVES
When I think about myself, I think I…
• ...slacked off and didn't work hard during high school.
• ...have parents who struggle to make ends meet.
• …succeed because of hard work.
• …succeed because I'm naturally intelligent.

9. CHANGE STORIES, CHANGE SELVES
When I think about scientists, I think they…
• …were involved in a lot of extracurricular activities as children.
• …were known for being smart, even as children.
• …work in environments where they can relax and enjoy themselves.
• …sacrificed a lot just to get their degree, and even more to become successful.

10. CHANGE STORIES…
“This article was interesting, actually, because Dr. Dubois is such a
unique person. He was born and raised to be a farmer, and didn’t
have very much money or aspiration beyond finishing high school
and maybe attending college if he could. He found science
completely by accident and fell in love […] It’s very impressive to
see someone come from so traditionally unlikely a background
and become so well-known for his work…”

11. …CHANGE SELVES
“In some of the spotlights some scientists felt that they didn’t
always want to pursue a career in science and that it just happens.
I’m starting to feel the same way. I’m not originally a science
major but I feel that I could have a future in it if I find the right
field.”

12. REFERENCES
Anthis, K. S., Dunkel, C. S., & Anderson, B. (2004). Gender and identity status differences in late adolescents’ possible
selves. Journal of Adolescence, 27(2), 147–152. doi:10.1016/j.adolescence.2003.11.010
Aronson, J., Fried, C. B., & Good, C. (2002). Reducing the Effects of Stereotype Threat on African American College
Students by ShapingTheories of Intelligence. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 38(2), 113–125.
doi:10.1006/jesp.2001.1491
Brickhouse, N.W., & Potter, J.T. (2001).YoungWomen’s Scientifc Identity Formation in an Urban Context, 38(8), 965–980.
Hermans, H. J. M., & Gieser,T. (2012). Handbook of Dialogical SelfTheory. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Johnson, H. J., Barnard-Brak, L., Saxon,T. F., & Johnson, M. K. (2012). An Experimental Study of the Effects of Stereotype
Threat and Stereotype Lift on Men andWomen’s Performance in Mathematics. The Journal of Experimental
Education, 80(2), 137–149. doi:10.1080/00220973.2011.567312
Leslie, S.-J., Cimpian, A., Meyer, M., & Freeland, E. (2015). Expectations of briliance underlie gender distributions across
academic disciplines. Science, 347(6219), 23–34. doi:10.1081/E-EWS
Lips, H. M. (2004).The gender gap in possible selves: Divergence of academic self-views among high school and university
students. Sex Roles, 50(5-6), 357–371. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1023/B:SERS.0000018891.88889.c9
Margolis, J., Fisher, A., & Fisher, F. (1999). Caring about connections: Gender and computing. IEEETechnology and Society
Magazine, 18(14), 13–20. doi:10.1109/44.808844

13. REFERENCES
McLean, K. C. (2008).The Emergence of Narrative Identity. Social and Personality Psychology Compass, 2, 1685–1702.
doi:10.1111/j.1751-9004.2008.00124.x
National Science Foundation, & National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics. (2015).Women, Minorities, and Persons with
Disabilities in Science and Engineering: 2015. Special Report NSF 15-311. Retrieved from http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/wmpd/
Oyserman, D., & Destin, M. (2010). Identity-based motivation: Implications for intervention. TheCounseling Psychologist, 38(7),
1001–1043. doi:10.1177/0011000010374775
Oyserman, D., & Fryberg, S. (2006).The possible selves of diverse adolescents: Content and function across gender, race, and
national origin. In PossibleSelves:Theory, Research and Applications (pp. 1–23).
Pals, J. L. (2006a). Constructing the “Springboard Effect”: Causal connections, selfmaking, and growth within the life story. In D. P.
McAdams, R. Josselson, & A. Lieblich (Eds.), Identity and Story: Creating Self in Narrative. Washington, D.C.:American
Psychological Association.
Pals, J. L. (2006b). Narrative identity processing of difficult life experiences: Pathways of personality development and positive self-
transformation in adulthood. Journal of Personality, 74(4), 1079–1110. doi:10.1111/j.1467-6494.2006.00403.x
Riegle-Crumb,C., & King, B. (2010). Questioning aWhite MaleAdvantage in STEM: Examining Disparities inCollege Major by
Gender and Race/Ethnicity. Educational Researcher, 39(9), 656–664. doi:10.3102/0013189X10391657
Schinske, J., Perkins, H., Snyder, A., &Wyer, M. (under review). Scientist Spotlight Homework Assignments Shift Students’
Stereotypes of Scientists and Enhance Diverse Introductory Science Class. CBE Life Sciences Education.