See resources and video from this event

While women make up nearly half of the U.S. workforce, they comprise only 26 percent of the science and engineering workforce. Why don't women choose to pursue degrees and careers in the so-called STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) fields? Researchers explored that question and offered recommendations to close the gender gap in Encouraging Girls in Math and Science, a practice guide published by the Institute of Education Sciences (IES).

Dr. Diane Halpern, the lead author of the guide, presented the research at a daylong workshop sponsored by the Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory, IES, Pacific Northwest Girls Collaborative Project, and the Lewis & Clark College Graduate School of Education and Counseling. A panel of distinguished women in STEM professions shared their experiences, reflecting on obstacles and motivators in reaching their academic and career goals. Panels of teachers/guidance counselors and out-of-school enrichment programs also led separate discussions about how the practice guide research relates to their areas. Scott Cody, deputy director of the What Works Clearinghouse, described the development of the IES practice guides. Participants were given opportunities to network and discuss potential collaborations that could be funded by the Pacific Northwest Girls Collaborative Project.

Presenters

Dr. Diane Halpern is a professor of psychology at Claremont McKenna College who has won numerous awards for her outstanding teaching. She is a past president of the American Psychological Association and the Society for Teaching Psychology. The author of numerous books and articles on the science of sex differences, she developed an assessment that’s widely used to measure critical thinking skills.

Scott Cody, the deputy director of the What Works Clearinghouse (WWC), is responsible for quality and consistency across all WWC topics. He also directs the development of IES practice guides, which include Encouraging Girls in Math and Science. Cody is a senior researcher at Mathematica Policy Research, with expertise in research design, quantitative and qualitative analysis methods, and data quality.

Women in STEM Careers Panel:

• Ann Bynum, Operations Director, Communications Technology Laboratory, Intel Corporation
• Kasi Allen Fuller, Assistant Professor of Education, Lewis & Clark College, Graduate School of Education and Counseling
• Carolyn Landel, Project Director, North Cascades and Olympic Science Partnership
• Janis Lochner, Dr. Robert B. Pamplin, Jr., Professor of Science and Chair of the Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Program, Lewis & Clark College Department of Chemistry
• Francesca Love, Engineer, Oregon Department of Transportation
• Liz Stanhope, Assistant Professor of Mathematics, Lewis & Clark College Department of Mathematical Sciences