Maverick Science mag 2013-14

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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
MAVERICK SCIENCE The University of Texas at Arlington The College of Science Magazine 2013-14 C O N T E N T S F e a t u r e s 20 Crunching the strata Geologist Majie Fan and her students study sedimentary rock to learn about what the Earth was like millions of years ago and how geologic processes and changes in climate shaped the world we live in today. 32 Shining a light Samarendra Mohanty’s innovative approach to biophysics research utilizes the latest technology as he and his students work on more effective ways to find and treat disease. 24 Breaking it down Biochemist Subhrangsu Mandal and his students are examining genes and DNA to discover ways to fight the formation and spread of diseases such as cancer. A half century of making waves 38 Robert Stewart didn’t know what oceanography was when he was attending Arlington State College in the early 1960s. It quickly became his passion thereaer, and the physics training he received while at ASC served him well over the course of a fascinating 50-year career studying the physical properties of the ocean. 36 A win-win scenario e UT Arlington I/O Psychology Center matches master’s students with area businesses, and Nicolette Lopez has helped make the internship program a smashing success. 28 e big picture Sophia Passy and her students focus on ecology of a large scale to address more specific issues such as how watershed wetlands can help remediate the damage done by acidification to streams in the Adirondacks. Above, Robert Stewart on campus in November 2013, and at right, in his Army Corps uniform as a freshman at Arlington State College in 1959. 42 Abstract artist Michaela Vancliff is an expert in a branch of algebra that even many mathematicians find mystifying. Her exacting standards help prepare her students for successful careers in math research and teaching. D e p a r t m e n t s 2 4 Dean’s Message Science Scene 6 10 Tributes College News 44 45 Faculty News Student and Alumni News
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Maverick Science mag 2013-14

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