Chemistry had been her favorite class in high school. She’d done well in it, too. She was excited by the ways in which chemicals conspire to create life. And whenever she would picture her future self, it was in a lab coat and goggles.
So when she arrived at Utah State University in 2009, chemistry was the major she wanted to pursue.
By 2010, though, she was majoring in nutrition science. Her love for chemistry had been relegated to a minor.
She’s not alone. Women make up a majority of students at Utah State — but a minority of those earning science, technology, engineering and mathematics degrees. Female professors and students in STEM say it wouldn’t be that way if women were allowed to have the same unearned confidence that so many men have.
Sexism in STEM programs isn’t as prevalent as it used to be. “It seems like the men are very accepting and anxious to work with the women,” explained Vicki Allan, a computer science professor at USU.
So why aren’t more women majoring in STEM programs?
“What happens is if a guy is getting a C, they just go, ‘I don’t care, I love my major and I’m staying in it.’ If a woman is getting a C, they’re going, ‘Oh, everyone told me I couldn’t do this, I guess I can’t,’” Allan said.
According to Allan women often self-select so only the ones who get high grades stay in the program. She believes that women are self-selecting for failure — likely because of what they’ve heard about their chances for success.
Continue reading: https://usustatesman.com/the-long-term-effects-of-sexism-on-women-in-stem/
So when she arrived at Utah State University in 2009, chemistry was the major she wanted to pursue.
By 2010, though, she was majoring in nutrition science. Her love for chemistry had been relegated to a minor.
She’s not alone. Women make up a majority of students at Utah State — but a minority of those earning science, technology, engineering and mathematics degrees. Female professors and students in STEM say it wouldn’t be that way if women were allowed to have the same unearned confidence that so many men have.
Sexism in STEM programs isn’t as prevalent as it used to be. “It seems like the men are very accepting and anxious to work with the women,” explained Vicki Allan, a computer science professor at USU.
So why aren’t more women majoring in STEM programs?
“What happens is if a guy is getting a C, they just go, ‘I don’t care, I love my major and I’m staying in it.’ If a woman is getting a C, they’re going, ‘Oh, everyone told me I couldn’t do this, I guess I can’t,’” Allan said.
According to Allan women often self-select so only the ones who get high grades stay in the program. She believes that women are self-selecting for failure — likely because of what they’ve heard about their chances for success.
Continue reading: https://usustatesman.com/the-long-term-effects-of-sexism-on-women-in-stem/
