The Biases that Blind Us: How Gender Stereotypes Constrain Opportunities for Women in STEM | Summary and Q&A

TL;DR

This content discusses research findings on the gender disparities and biases within STEM fields, highlighting the need for interventions to address these issues.

Transcript

welcome to the women in public policy program seminar series podcast Robert Kennedy school alright great let's go get started yeah welcome everybody I'm Hannah Riley Bowles the research director here at the women in public policy program which enables me to host this terrific seminar today's speaker is Professor Corrine Moss Rath Goosen who from th... Read More

Key Insights

• 🏑 Gender disparities and biases persist within STEM fields, hindering the progress and representation of women in these fields.
• 🧔‍♀️ Gender stereotypes contribute to biases in hiring, mentorship, and recognition, perpetuating the underrepresentation of women in STEM fields.
• 🤨 Evidence-based interventions, such as engaging media, can be effective in raising awareness of bias and reducing bias itself among different populations.

Questions & Answers

Q: What evidence is there for gender disparities within STEM fields?

Gender disparities within STEM fields are supported by data showing the low representation of women in high-level scientific positions, the lack of progress in increasing women's participation, and the flattening or decreasing trends in the number of women pursuing STEM degrees.

Q: What role do gender stereotypes play in STEM fields?

Gender stereotypes contribute to the expectation that women are less likely to be competent in STEM fields, leading to biases in hiring, mentorship, and recognition. Research has shown that implicit gender biases are pervasive and consistent with these stereotypes.

Q: How proactive are academics in addressing these biases, given the practice-oriented nature of their work?

Academics like Professor Corinne Moss-Racusin are daringly challenging the norms by conducting research on practical perspectives and testing if the best ideas to combat gender bias can make a difference within organizations and institutions.

Q: What interventions have been developed to reduce gender bias in STEM fields?

Interventions using engaging media, such as short films and documentaries, have been developed to raise awareness of bias and reduce bias itself in STEM fields. These interventions have shown promising results in increasing awareness and reducing bias among different populations, including the general population and STEM faculty.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The content discusses the persistent gender disparities within STEM fields, highlighting examples such as the low percentage of female Nobel laureates in physics.

• Research findings on gender biases within STEM fields are presented, showing evidence of biased treatment and negative consequences for aspiring female scientists.

• The content also discusses the need for evidence-based interventions to reduce gender bias and promote diversity within STEM fields.