Gendered Student Ideals in STEM in Higher Education

• In Event: 58.083 - Roundtable Session 26
  In Roundtable Session: 58.083-20 - Research on Women and STEM

Abstract

This study explored the everyday work of female undergraduate STEM students to identify STEM institutional cultural norms and standards organize and inform the organization of everyday work for female math and physics students. Data analysis suggests that undergraduate participants reported challenges meeting some of the characteristics of successful math and physics students (e.g., taking risks, asking questions, putting school first) and preferred a collectivistic environment. These characteristics are evidence of a masculine STEM institution, which also creates a male ideal that female students are expected to meet and exacerbates their discomfort in the STEM environment.

Author

• Laura Parson, Auburn University