Maverick Science mag 2013-14

M e s s a g e f r o m t h e D e a n
Changing the status quo on women in science
Welcome to the 2013-14 edition of Maverick Science,
the magazine that puts a spotlight on what’s happening in
the UT Arlington College of Science.
We have a lot of exciting things going on in our College
and in the following pages, you’ll be able to read about
many of them. From the groundbreaking research being
done by our award-winning faculty and students, to the
top-notch teaching being done in our classrooms and labs,
to the positive impact being made by our alumni in a variety
of fields, the College of Science is making a difference
and is leading the way in finding solutions through science.
I’d like to take a few moments to touch on a topic that is
very important to me and, I’m sure, to all of us: Why aren’t
there more women in STEM (science, technology, engineering
and math) fields?
Eileen Pollack makes many good points regarding this
question in an article she wrote for the New York Times
Magazine last October. She knows the subject matter all
too well: She graduated summa cum laude with a bachelor’s
in physics from Yale in 1978 but said that not one of
her professors encouraged her to go to graduate school. Instead,
she went on to become an acclaimed novelist. In the
article, Pollack cites a 2013 Yale study which found that
“only one-fifth of physics Ph.D.s in this country are awarded to women, and
only about half of those women are American; of all the physics professors in
the United States, only 14 percent are women.” Women are also underrepresented
in chemistry, mathematics, geology and, to a lesser extent, biology.
The reasons for this are varied. Some are tied to cultural perceptions and
stereotypes, others to gender bias, and still others to marginalization of
women in the workplace. It all starts, however, in primary and secondary
school. Although girls fare just as well as boys in math and science through
fifth grade, by the time they reach high school, many girls are discouraged
from pursuing more advanced science and math classes by the persistent but
incorrect notion that girls aren’t able to comprehend these subjects as well as
boys. Their friends may tease them for wanting to be “nerds” or “geeks” and
in some cases their own counselors and advisors may try to steer them into
more socially oriented fields.
The single greatest reason most women who are interested in pursuing
degrees in math and science give when asked why they abandon those pursuits
is the same one Pollack said she experienced – a lack of encouragement
along the way. They simply didn’t have anyone telling them they were just as
capable as boys and in fact, in many cases, people told them they couldn’t
and wouldn’t succeed as scientists and mathematicians, simply because of
their gender. This is what we all as a society must find a way to change.
In the College of Science, we’re doing everything we can to overcome
these long-standing obstacles. We have outstanding female faculty in each
department, and through their hard work and dedication to their students in
the classroom and in the lab, they’re proving that the notion of women being
less capable in math and science is a myth. You’ll read about four of them in
this magazine: Majie Fan in earth and environmental science; Nicolette
Lopez in psychology; Sophia Passy in biology; and Michaela Vancliff in math.
They, along with their male colleagues, Subhrangsu Mandal in chemistry
and Samarendra Mohanty in physics, are representative of the great, innovative
work being done by our faculty and their students – male and female.
We also do a great deal of outreach in K-12 education, including a substantial
amount with young girls, who disproportionately move away from
science and math as they get older. Last October, our Department of Mathematics
hosted over 100 girls in fifth and sixth grades from Arlington schools
for a day of Mavericks in Math. The event was intended as a way to encourage
girls – particularly minorities and those from low-income households –
to study math, and to show these bright young ladies that they are limited in
Kevin Gaddis Jr.
Dean Jansma congratulates a member of the Class of 2013 during the Spring 2013 College of
Science commencement ceremony in May.
what they can accomplish only by their imagination.
There were fun games, workshops and a Q&A forum with four women
who have forged or are forging successful careers using math as their foundation.
The girls were able to ask questions and hear the truth straight from
women who have proved the point: Girls can succeed in science and math.
Much progress has been made in recent years, yet much remains to be
done. Issues such as unequal pay, lab space and resources for female faculty
persist nationwide. Worries about childcare options for female faculty who
want to start families are always present, as women are still by and large seen
as the primary caregivers for their families. The percentage of women science
faculty members at most universities is still very small. To change that, we
need more women master’s and Ph.D. graduates so that the job candidate
pool will include more women.
In the next decade, the number of STEM graduates that will be needed
for the United States to retain its long-held status as the world leader in the
science and technology fields is expected to be one million more than the
number the nation is on target to produce. This could have dire effects on
our economy. A 2012 report commissioned by the White House said that
members of the “underrepresented majority” – women and minorities –
now make up around 70 percent of college students while comprising
around 45 percent of students who receive undergraduate degrees in STEM
fields. The report notes that this “underrepresented majority” is a tremendous
potential source of STEM professionals.
Women make up roughly half the population in the United States. Now
more than ever, we truly cannot afford to accept the status quo when it
comes to women’s participation in science and math.
I hope you’ll take a few minutes to read this magazine, and please feel free
to let us know what you think. Alumni, we would love to hear from you and
reconnect with you. If you’re in the neighborhood, please drop by campus
and say hello. Thanks and best wishes to all of you.
Pamela Jansma,
Dean of the College of Science