Framed within intersectionality, this multiple case study explores women's participation in physics through the construct of physics identity and with a focus on recognition. The study is drawn upon an empirical life-history exploration of three women: a native to Northwestern Europe, late-career white woman and two immigrant women to Northwestern…

The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine, describe, and understand underrepresentation of Afro-Brazilian women faculty members in higher education. The study aimed to advance knowledge about this underrepresentation based on perspectives of eighteen participants who self-identified as Afro-Brazilian and as women working at the…

This research aims to address the paucity of research exploring the impact of formative experiences shaping the trajectory of young people entering higher education outdoor education programmes. Ten participants (n=10) were recruited from a college outdoor education programme this consisted of 6 male (n=6) age range 18-26 and 4 Females (n=4) age…

This national study used the Delphi method to identify perceived barriers women face in the pursuit of STEM careers. The study used a series of three web-based questionnaires. The first round of the study used a questionnaire with an open-ended question to facilitate the generation of a wide array of response categories. In round two, respondents…

Carol Davenport and Joe Shimwell argue the need for careers education within the primary phase to counter the impact of gender and socioeconomic status on children's career ideas.

This paper studies intersectional multiplicity by encompassing the ways individuals shape relationships between social structures and their science identity. We discuss the science lives of two sixteen-year-old British South-Asian Muslim women studying in a single-sex independent school in London, both of whom aspire to science careers. Adapting…

From a developmental perspective, gifted girls could benefit from the life experience shared by gifted women about what influenced them to make life choices. This study focuses on Dutch gifted women to explore what were facilitating or hindering factors in making those decisions in education, personal life, and career. Interviews with 10…

Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) educational camps and fellowships that specifically target underrepresented populations in STEM fields, such as Latinas, have become more common place across the United States. In this article, we analyze multimodal ways of representing, opportunities, and role-models present at these camps,…

Arts school executives and faculty face the daunting, zero-sum challenge of packing more and better preparation into over-taxed academic calendars and saturated students: major requirements in a bachelor's or graduate degree track; professional and vocational preparation; internships; a liberal arts core curriculum; and second majors and minors,…

Within Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) careers fields, the representation of women remains at an inequitable level when compared to men and to women's representation in other professions. Given the current state of women representing 52% of the professional and management-related workforce (U.S. Bureau of Labor and…

Social cognitive career theory (SCCT; Lent, Brown, & Hackett, 1994, 2000) holds that contextual barriers inhibit self-efficacy and goal choice intentions from points both near and far from the active career development situation. The current study examined the influence of one such proximal barrier, stereotype threat, on attainment of these…

Engineering has traditionally been and continues to be a male dominated profession. The National Academies' "Rising Above the Gathering Storm: Energizing America for a Brighter Future (2005)" warns that in the long run, the United States might not have enough scientists and engineers to meet its national goals unless the number of…

There have been many efforts in recent years to draw more women into STEM fields. While women have made gains, they are still far less likely than men to major in such fields, especially engineering and computer science. Why? This article presents the responses and the thoughts of a group of scholars and experts.

Reports on the growth and achievement of gifted girls and women in the past decade have been encouraging. Certainly, more women today feel encouraged to achieve, assume leadership, and pursue careers formerly dominated by men. The women's movement and the programs it inspired have helped promising girls plan and act on deeply held interests and…

Legal, cultural, and ethical considerations impact decisions of organizations and those of the individuals who aspire to assume their rightful role in them as students enrolled at universities or as aspiring employees in business firms. An ongoing question emerges, however, concerning the barriers and cultural attitudes toward women (and…