Gender Equity

SciGirls isn’t the only group that is working on gender equity! In addition to the SciGirls Strategies, here are websites with additional gender equity resources. Then, scroll down to see professional development resources we have found useful. If you have additional suggestions, please add them in the comments section at the bottom of the page.

The National Girls Collaborative Project™ (NGCP) brings together organizations throughout the United States that are committed to informing and encouraging girls to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). NGCP builds capacity of girl-serving STEM organization by facilitating collaboration, increasing access to existing resources, and sharing exemplary practice in engaging girls in STEM. Join their Program Directory or explore their Exemplary Practices and other Relevant Links.

National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT) works to correct the imbalance of gender diversity in technology and computing because gender diversity positively correlates with a larger workforce, better innovation, and increased business performance. Increasing the number of women in technology and computing also has the potential to improve the design of products and services to better serve a more diverse population, and increase economic and social well-being by providing more women with stable and lucrative careers. Check out their Promising Practices, Programs-in-a-Box, Statistics & Reports, and relevant Talking Points.

Girls RISE (Raising Interest in Science and Engineering) Museum Network is strengthening the professional capacity of informal science educators to engage and motivate minority girls in grades 6-12 to explore and pursue science and engineering careers. The project addresses the national need to cultivate diversity in preparing the next generation of female scientists and engineers. Explore their Resource Listing.

wepan

Women in Engineering Proactive Network (WEPAN) is a national not-for-profit organization with over 600 members from engineering schools, small businesses, Fortune 500 corporations, and non-profit organizations. WEPAN works to transform culture in engineering education to attract, retain, and graduate women. With a clear focus on research-based issues and solutions, WEPAN helps its members develop a highly prepared, diverse engineering workforce for tomorrow. Check out this webinar on their site about perceived gender differences in learning. 

 

Additional Professional Development Resources:

NGCP offers free, public webinars that focus on current research and resources related to girls in STEM, presented by researchers and practitioners in the field. The webinars are one hour long and are all archived on the NGCP website for later viewing and download.

The State of Girls and Women in STEM, National Girls Collaborative Project, June 2013.

Generation STEM: What Girls Say about Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math – Generation STEM is national research report, by Girls Scouts of the USA, investigating girls’ perceptions, attitudes, and interests in the subjects and general field of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) from the voices of girls themselves. The report consists of a literature review, as well as qualitative (focus group) and quantitative (survey) research with 1,000 girls across the country. The study finds that girls are interested in STEM and aspire to STEM careers, but need further exposure and education about what STEM careers can offer, and how STEM can help girls make a difference in the world. 

Why So Few? Women in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math – Why So Few? is a national research report, by the American Association of University Women (AAUW), that addresses the continued lack of women in science and engineering careers. The report presents eight research findings (including stereotype threat, gender bias, and societal beliefs about intelligence) that contribute to the lack of women in these fields. The report also offers recommendations about how all of us can help increase the number of women in science and engineering fields.

Reducing Stereotype Threat – A website created by social psychologists, Steven Stroessner (Barnard College, Columbia University) and Catherine Good (Baruch College, CUNY) that explains what stereotype threat is, who is affected by it, and what can be done to reduce it.

Women in STEM; ON THE AIR! – This website produced by WAMC/Northeast Public Radio features their women and STEM focused radio programming. Major topics include research, famous women in STEM through history, and highlights of girl-focused organizations.

Learning Science in Informal Environments – This book is published by the National Academies Press and is available online in PDF format for free. Chapter seven focuses on “Diversity and Equity” talking about gender starting on page 219. The research and statistics talked about in this section are applicable in both informal and formal environments. Chapter nine includes conclusions and recommendations based on the research the authors reviewed.