Girls In Science

Girls and science just don't mix. At least that's the message that comes from report after report including one on the underrepresentation of women in science and math from the American Association of University Women.

The study, released last year, found that even though women have made some strides in these fields, stereotypes and cultural biases still stymie their success. What's needed? In the end, the study stressed the need for more parental involvement and female role models.

For sure, parents can help drive their daughters' interests in science by infusing home life with science activities, field trips, and opportunities to learn. The National Science Teachers' Association recently went so far as to issue a position statement about how important parental pressure is when it comes to sparking a girl's interest in science.

There's no doubt the number of women in science and engineering is growing. Yet men continue to outpace women, especially at the upper levels of these professions. According to that AAUW study, in elementary, middle, and high school, girls and boys take math and science courses in roughly the same numbers, and about as many girls as boys leave high school set to pursue science and engineering majors in college. Yet, in the end, fewer women than men actually do pursue these majors.

"Among first-year college students, women are much less likely than men to say that they intend to major in science, technology, engineering, or math (STEM)," the study said. "By graduation, men outnumber women in nearly every science and engineering field, and in some, such as physics, engineering, and computer science, the difference is dramatic, with women earning only 20 percent of bachelor’s degrees. Women’s representation in science and engineering declines further at the graduate level and yet again in the transition to the workplace."

So why is this exactly? Again, the study claims that even subtle references to gender stereotypes whether on the playground or on TV have been shown to negatively impact a girl's science and even math performance.

Fortunately, research also shows that society has the ability to counter these stereotypes by emphaszing and talking about the accomplishments of girls and women in science and math.

The more people hear about women's achievements, the more the abilities of women can't be denied.

Amazingly, studies show that people, when asked, can't name a single female scientist except for perhaps Madame Curie. But here are a few outstanding but little-known women who have achieved great things when it comes to science:

• Mary Anning, just named by Britain's Royal Society as one of the most influential British women scientists in history. Only now are many people becoming acquainted with the remarkable work of the self-educated geologist whose fossil discoveries in early 19th century England paved the way for the work of Charles Darwin. (I wrote a biography of this incredible woman—the inspiration for the tongue-twister "She sells sea shells by the sea shore"—called "The Fossil Hunter.")
• Caroline Herschel, a British astronomer. Her most significant contribution was the discovery of several comets and in particular the periodic comet 35P/Herschel-Rigollet, which bears her name. 
• Sarah Breedlove Walker, an American businesswoman and philanthropist. After being orphaned at 6 and widowed at 20, she went on to invent a process for straightening the hair of African-Americans. Her process caught on and she invented all sorts of beauty- and health-related products while supporting a wide range of philanthropic efforts.
• Virginia Apgar came up with the Apgar Newborn Scoring System, which boosted the survival rates of infants. She also helped focus the attention of the March of Dimes organization on birth defects.
• Dr. Grace Murray Hopper was one of the first computer programmers and a pioneer in the field of software development concepts. In 1928 she graduated from Vassar College with a BA in mathematics and physics. While an instructor at Vassar, she earned an MA in 1930 and a PhD in 1934 at Yale, one of four women in a doctoral program of 10 students. She went on to become a great mathematician and consultant for the U.S. Naval Reserve.

And so, it seems, the time has come for the work of these women and others to be studied and celebrated—both at home and at school. And wouldn't these women be pleased?

If you can think of some other great women scientists, please let us know in the comments section. And how do you encourage your own daughters to be interested in science and math?