Quelle: Front. Sociol. (Frontiers in Sociology), 4 (2019) , 26 S
Inhalt: Research and popular debate on female underrepresentation in academia has focused on STEM fields. But recent work has offered a unifying explanation for gender representation across the STEM/nonSTEM divide. This proposed explanation, called the fieldspecific ability beliefs (FAB) hypothesis, postulates that, in combination with pervasive stereotypes that link men but not women with intellectual talent, academics perpetuate female underrepresentation by transmitting to students in earlier stages of education their beliefs about how much intellectual talent is required for success in each academic field. This theory was supported by a national survey which found that the disciplines with the fewest women had practitioners who were most likely to think that success in their field requires [talent]/[brilliance]. We test this topdown schema with a nationwide survey of U.S. undergraduates, assessing the extent to which undergraduate beliefs about talent in academia mirror those of academics. We find no evidence that academics transmit their beliefs to undergraduates. We also use a second survey – identical to the first but with each field’s gender ratio provided as added information – to explicitly test the relationship between undergraduate beliefs about gender and talent in academia. The results for this second survey suggest that the extent to which undergraduates rate brilliance as essential to success in an academic field is highly sensitive to this added information for nonSTEM fields, but not STEM fields. Overall, our study offers evidence that, contrary to FAB hypothesis, the STEM/nonSTEM divide principally shapes undergraduate beliefs about both gender and talent in academia.
Schlagwörter:Fächerwahl; Frauen in der Wissenschaft; gender bias; Gender stereotype; Geschlechterstereotyp; MINT; non-STEM divide; quantitative Analyse; STEM; Stereotyp; talent; Underrepresentation of women; Unterrepräsentanz; women in science
CEWS Kategorie:Studium und Studierende, Naturwissenschaft und Technik, Geschlechterverhältnis
The re-production process of gender bias: A case of ICT professors through recruitment in a gender-neutral country
Autor/in:
Tiainen, Tarja; Berki, Eleni
Quelle: Studies in Higher Education, 44 (2019) 1, S 170–184
Inhalt: Women's under-representation in the fields of science and technology is strong; both in software houses and academic posts. We focus on the academic field by gender sensitive analysis of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) academics. The general picture given by statistics' meta-analyses illustrates male dominance even in Finland, which is often presented as a country which values gender equality high. For achieving deeper understanding about the process of gender bias reproduction, we focus on one university and its selection of ICT professors. Although every professorship fulfilling is a situated process, they all together shape a homogeneous male-dominant picture. This paper continues on early gender-focused discussion of Studies in Higher Education by presenting an organisational point of view.
Frauen in der Informatik : Können sie mehr als sie denken? Eine Analyse geschlechtsspezifischer Erfolgserwartungen unter Informatikstudierenden
Autor/in:
Förtsch, Silvia; Schmid, Ute
Quelle: GENDER (GENDER – Zeitschrift für Geschlecht, Kultur und Gesellschaft), 10 (2018) 1, S 130–150
Inhalt: Obwohl ein Anstieg des Frauenanteils in den Informatikstudiengängen zu verzeichnen ist, gilt die IT-Branche nach wie vor als Männerdomäne. Der weibliche Anteil in deutschen IT-Abteilungen beträgt knapp 10 Prozent (Weitzel et al. 2017). Ein Grund für die mangelnde Präsenz der Frauen im IT-Bereich könnte die geringere Erfolgserwartung der Studentinnen im Studium sein. In diesem Beitrag wird untersucht, ob vorangegangene Schulleistungen sowie intrinsische Motivation für die Studiengangswahl, nämlich Begabung und Interesse für das Fach, die subjektive Einschätzung des Studienerfolgs von Informatikstudierenden beeinflussen. Obwohl Studentinnen sich im Vergleich zu ihren Kommilitonen in ihren durchschnittlichen Mathematikleistungen nicht signifikant unterscheiden und sie im Durchschnitt die bessere Abiturabschlussnote erzielen, unterschätzen sie sich in ihrem persönlichen Studienerfolg signifikant, insbesondere in stark techniklastigen Informatikstudiengängen. Ebenso können Studentinnen von einer hohen intrinsischen Motivation, hinsichtlich ihrer Erfolgseinschätzungen im Studium nicht profitieren. Die durchgeführte Analyse bezieht sich auf das Datenmaterial aus dem ESF-Forschungsprojekt „Alumnae Tracking“.
Schlagwörter:Geschlecht; Informatik; Motivation; schulische Leistung; Studienerfolg; Studium
CEWS Kategorie:Studium und Studierende, Naturwissenschaft und Technik, Geschlechterverhältnis
Multiple Masculinities and Gendered Research Personas : Between experiments, career choice and family
Autor/in:
Pettersson, Helena
Quelle: International Journal of Gender, Science and Technology, 10 (2018) 1
Inhalt: The aim of this study is to analyze multiple masculinity identities among experimental plasma physicists. It is based on ethnographic fieldwork with long term observations in a laboratory and in-depth interviews. The point of departure is that different identities exist side by side and are co constructed among physicists in the laboratory. They are defined and challenged at the same time in everyday work, and are therefore central to those attracted to experimental physics. In this study, masculine identity work is analyzed as boundary work for both masculinity and experimental physics. Physics and identity work can be understood as a process where the performance and daily work is also a way of defining gender. I argue that perspectives from masculinity studies are crucial in order to advance an understanding of gender dynamics within physics communities and enrich the current understanding of the lack of women in physics. Both senior and junior physicists emphasized the importance of a strong scientist identity. The plasma physicists represent a type of double hegemonic masculinity front stage. The scientific ideal is in itself strongly gendered with the ideal image of the scientist.
Guest Editorial: Gender and Masculinities in Careers and Leadership in Higher Education
Autor/in:
Sagebiel, Felizitas; White, Kate
Quelle: International Journal of Gender, Science and Technology, 10 (2018) 1, 6 S
Inhalt: This Special Issue, recognising vertical gender segregation in higher education, combines papers focusing on challenges for women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) disciplines in career progression and taking on leadership roles.
Schlagwörter:Führungsposition; Geschlecht; Geschlechtersegregation; Karriereentwicklung; Männlichkeit; MINT
CEWS Kategorie:Berufsbiographie und Karriere, Wissenschaft als Beruf, Naturwissenschaft und Technik, Frauen- und Geschlechterforschung, Geschlechterverhältnis
The Gender-Equality Paradox in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Education
Autor/in:
Stoet, Gijsbert; Geary, David C.
Quelle: Psychological Science, 29 (2018) 4, S 581–593
Inhalt: The underrepresentation of girls and women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields is a continual concern for social scientists and policymakers. Using an international database on adolescent achievement in science, mathematics, and reading ( N = 472,242), we showed that girls performed similarly to or better than boys in science in two of every three countries, and in nearly all countries, more girls appeared capable of college-level STEM study than had enrolled. Paradoxically, the sex differences in the magnitude of relative academic strengths and pursuit of STEM degrees rose with increases in national gender equality. The gap between boys' science achievement and girls' reading achievement relative to their mean academic performance was near universal. These sex differences in academic strengths and attitudes toward science correlated with the STEM graduation gap. A mediation analysis suggested that life-quality pressures in less gender-equal countries promote girls' and women's engagement with STEM subjects.
Interventionen in Geschlechterpolitiken von Fachkulturen, Epistemen und Artefakten der Natur-, Technik- und Planungswissenschaften : Fallbeispiele aus der Lehrforschung
Autor/in:
Lucht, Petra
Quelle: OPEN GENDER JOURNAL, (2018) 2
Inhalt: Gender Studies zu Natur-, Technik- und Planungswissenschaften weisen Asymmetrien bezüglich der fokussierten Forschungsschwerpunkte auf: Während die Situation von Frauen* in Ausbildung und Beruf im Zentrum steht, werden Forschungsergebnisse zu Fachkulturen, Epistemen und Artefakten nicht systematisch in Inhalte und Anwendungen der MINT-Fächer und Planungswissenschaften integriert. Das nachfolgend dargelegte Konzept ermöglicht es, Fallstudien zu diesen Forschungsperspektiven zu erarbeiten. Es wurde 2013-2016 an der Technischen Universität Berlin für das Studienprogramm Gender Pro MINT von mir entwickelt und umgesetzt. Die hier präsentierten Fallstudien sind als Abschlussarbeiten von Absolvent_innen des Studienprogramms angefertigt worden und zeigen verschiedene Ansatzpunkte für transdisziplinäre, feministische Interventionen in die Geschlechterpolitiken von Fachkulturen, Epistemen und Artefakten der Natur-, Technik- und Planungswissenschaften für geschlechtergerechte Vielfalt auf.
Change and Persistence of Gender Disparities in Academic Careers of Mathematicians and Physicists in Germany
Autor/in:
Langfeldt, Bettina; Mischau, Anina
Quelle: International Journal of Gender, Science and Technology, 10 (2018) 1
Inhalt: This article discusses whether or not gender-related disparities exist within the academic fields of mathematics and physics regarding the application of career knowledge and the experiences of disadvantage in relation to recognition of performance, assessment of professional competencies, and integration into networks. To answer this question, primary data was collected with a structured online survey addressing graduates in both academic fields (n=5,174). The article considers a subsample of respondents working at a university or university of applied sciences (n=1,613). Apart from the gender perspective, other factors potentially influencing the academic careers of mathematicians and physicists, such as being in a certain subject, age cohort or having children, are also considered. Some of the key findings are: a) more gender differences occur in mathematics than in physics; b) the experiences of disadvantage in the workplace constitute a cross-disciplinary phenomenon caused by the gender differentiating academic culture; and c) more female than male academics in both disciplines accept constraints or abandon career goals due to child care. /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Normale Tabelle"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;}
Schlagwörter:academic career; Akademische Karriere; Befragung; career knowledge; Deutschland; Diskriminierung; gender disparities; German higher education system; Geschlechterungleichheit; Hochschule; Hochschulsystem; Karriereplanung; Karriereweg; Leistungsbewertung; mathematics; Mathematik; Netzwerk; physics; Physik; wissenschaftliche Karriere
CEWS Kategorie:Berufsbiographie und Karriere, Wissenschaft als Beruf, Gleichstellungspolitik, Naturwissenschaft und Technik, Frauen- und Geschlechterforschung
Assessing the landscape of US postdoctoral salaries
Autor/in:
Athanasiadou, Rodoniki; Bankston, Adriana; Carlisle, McKenzie; Niziolek, Caroline A.; McDowell, Gary S.
Quelle: Studies in Graduate and Postdoctoral Education, 9 (2018) 2, S 213–242
Inhalt: Purpose - Postdocs make up a significant portion of the biomedical workforce. However, data about the postdoctoral position are generally scarce, and no systematic study of the landscape of individual postdoc salaries in the USA has previously been carried out. The purpose of this study was to assess actual salaries for postdocs using data gathered from US public institutions; determine how these salaries may vary with postdoc title, institutional funding and geographic region; and reflect on which institutional and federal policy measures may have the greatest impact on salaries nationally.
Design/methodology/approach - Freedom of Information Act Requests were submitted to US public universities or university systems containing campuses with at least 300 science, engineering and health postdocs, according to the 2015 National Science Foundation's Survey of Graduate Students and Postdoctorates in Science and Engineering. Salaries and job titles of postdocs as of December 1, 2016, were requested.
Findings - Salaries and job titles for nearly 14,000 postdocs at 52 US institutions around December 1, 2016, were received. Individual postdoc names were also received for approximately 7,000 postdocs, and departmental affiliations were received for 4,000 postdocs. This exploratory study shows evidence of a postdoc gender pay gap, a significant influence of job title on postdoc salary and a complex relationship between salaries and the level of institutional National Institutes of Health/NSF funding.
Originality/value - These results provide insights into the ability of institutions to collate and report out annualized salary data on their postdocs, highlighting difficulties faced in tracking and reporting data on this population by institutional administration. Ultimately, these types of efforts, aimed at increasing transparency regarding the postdoctoral position, may lead to improved support for postdocs at all US institutions and allow greater agency for postdocs making decisions based on financial concerns.
Schlagwörter:Biologie; Biomedical Research; gender pay gap; Geschlechterverhältnis; Post-doc; public universities and colleges; STEM; USA
CEWS Kategorie:Naturwissenschaft und Technik, Hochschulen, Frauen- und Geschlechterforschung, Geschlechterverhältnis