Presentation by Dr. Mónica I. Feliú-Mójer, Manager of Outreach, Department of Biostatistics, University of Washington, Seattle at open forum discussing the challenges faced by women in science, particularly at the intersection of gender, race and culture. December 3, 2013, Samuel Kelly Ethnic Cultural Center. Event co-organized by Mónica I. Feliú-Mójer, Verónica Guajardo and Stephanie Gardner and sponsored by Department of Biostatistics, MESA Community College Program, Louis Stoke Alliance for Minority Participation and School of Public Health, Diversity Committee, all at the University of Washington.

1. Women in Science:
Challenges at the Intersection
of Gender, Race Culture
Verónica Guajardo
Mónica I. Feliú-Mójer
Assistant Director
Manager of Outreach Programs
Washington MESA
Dept. of Biostatistics
Community College Program
University of Washington
Stephanie Gardner
Associate Director
LSAMP Program
University of Washington
Sponsored by:
Dept. of Biostatistics, University of Washington
MESA Community College Program
Louis Stoke Alliance for Minority Participation
Diversity Committee, School of Public Health

3. Women: 50% of U.S. population...
28% SE workforce
Women of color: 16% of U.S. population...
5% of SE workforce
SOURCE: Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities in Science and Engineering 2013

4. Seeds of underrepresentation
• Perceived gender barriers and stereotypes
are high (e.g. science not for girls)
• Middle school is a critical point
• Gap between STEM interest and career
choice
• Girls of color have high interest in STEM
but fewer supports, less exposure and
lower academic achievement
SOURCE: Generation STEM: What Girls say about Science, Technology, Engineering and Math

5. More women than men earn higher education
degrees, but more men earn SE degrees
Overall
Biosciences
Computer sciences
58% bachelor’s
57.8% bachelor’s
18.2% bachelor’s
60% master’s
56.2% master’s
27.5% master’s
50% PhD’s
52.2% PhD’s
21.5% PhD’s
Math
Engineering
Physical sciences
43.1% bachelor’s
18.4% bachelor’s
40.9% bachelor’s
39.9% master’s
22.3% master’s
40.2% master’s
29.9% PhD’s
23.2% PhD’s
32.9% PhD’s
Data shown for 2010 only. SOURCE: Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities in Science and Engineering 2013

6. Women of color earn 12% bachelor s,
10% master s and 9% PhD degrees
10.6%
7.9%
3.9%
SOURCE: Accelerating Change for Women Faculty of Color in STEM: Policy, Action and Collaboration

7. Underrepresentation persists in
leadership and senior faculty positions
Women, Full-time professorships
Women of color, Full-time professorships
SOURCES: Beyond Bias and Barriers: Fulfilling the Potential of Women in Academic Science and Engineering; Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities in Science and Engineering 2013

8. Factors contributing to
the underrepresentation
of women in science

9. Psychosocial factors
• Isolation
• ‘Keep up and catch up’
• Stereotype threat
ADAPTED FROM: M Johns, T Schmader, and A Martens (2005) Psychological Science. SOURCE: Beyond Bias and Barriers: Fulfilling the Potential of Women in Academic Science and Engineering

10. Implicit bias
Moss-Racusin et al. (2012) PNAS

11. Other factors
• Institutional policies
• Lack of roles models, mentors and
sponsors
• Lack of outreach
• Lower salaries

12. Double Bind
: Sexism and Racism
The Double Bind:
The Price of Being
a Minority Woman
in Science (1975)
“Science careers in the context of gender
and race or ethnic bias have been a major
part of our lives, setting us apart at
every turn.” - Jewel Plummer Cobb!

13. 0

14. What can we do?
How can we build a more
supportive environment?

15. Discuss
Share
Action!

16. How do we move
towards action?
What can we do as individuals to improve
the climate for women in science?
How do we create
synergy?
How can we leverage our positions within
our communities to effect change?
What can we do as
communities to improve the
climate for women in science?
How do we engage
people to turn them into
advocates?
What can we do as an institution to
improve the climate for women in science?
Who are the key players
in this conversation?
How do we address the
challenges (e.g. implicit bias)?

17. Action!

18. Some useful links
Accelerating Change for Women
Faculty of Color in STEM: Policy,
Action, and Collaboration Institute for
Women’s Policy Research (IWPR)
Generation STEM: What Girls Say
about Science, Technology,
Engineering and Math Girl Scout Research
Institute
Women, Minorities, and Persons with
Disabilities in Science and Engineering
National Science Foundation (NSF)
The Double Bind: The Price of Being a
Minority Women in Science American
Association for the Advancement of Science
Causal Factors and Interventions
Borinqueña: A New Space for Puerto
Workshop National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Rican and Hispanic Women in Science
Ciencia Puerto Rico
Why So Few? Women in Science,
Association of Women in Science
Technology, Engineering and
Mathematics American Association of
(AWIS)
University Women
Scientista Foundation