• E-mail
• Print
• Comment
• Font Size
• Digg
• del.icio.us
• Discuss article

Study Says Parents Need to Encourage Girls to Enter Science Fields

Posted on: Wednesday, 25 May 2005, 12:00 CDT

May 25--Despite a strong demand for qualified workers in science and engineering, girls in the United States still face gender bias and more challenges than boys in pursuing careers in those fields, a new survey says.

The survey, conducted by Robinson-based Bayer Corp., showed that while parents of American schoolchildren were overwhelmingly confident their sons and daughters could make it in science and engineering, fewer girls were likely to enter those sectors. They cited as reasons a lack of mentors, role models and programs that encourage young girls to think about science and engineering as career options.

The findings come amid growing concerns that the United States is not doing enough to develop the sort of math and science skills that are considered vital in an increasingly global economy.

America historically has relied on innovation and highly skilled workers to develop new industries and compete with other countries that may have such natural advantages as cheaper labor and raw materials.

"Maybe we need to look at how we as parents and society communicate about science, and we need to show girls we need them to fill science jobs," said Sarah Toulouse, a spokeswoman for Bayer, which conducted the survey and is the U.S. headquarters for the German-based chemicals, drug and plastics giant Bayer AG.

Bayer in March and April polled 1,500 parents nationwide who have at least one boy and one girl between the ages of 5 and 18 living at home. While 91 percent of parents viewed science careers as desirable for their sons and 86 percent considered them desirable for their daughters, there was a wider gap between boys and girls when parents were asked to be more specific about pursuing these fields.

While 65 percent said they were "very desirable" careers for boys, only 41 percent said they were "very desirable" for girls. Asked if their children expressed interest in studying science in the future or as a career, 63 percent said their sons had, but only 42 percent said their daughters had considered a future in science.

And while 90 percent or more of parents were confident their sons and daughters could succeed in science fields, only 57 percent were "very confident" about their girls' long-term success, compared with 69 percent who were "very confident" about their boys in science.

"The message it sends to us is that we need to be very careful in our actions so as not to communicate subtle gender bias," said Toulouse. "Parents may not be aware they're conveying that bias."

The bias also is playing out in toy stores. While 64 percent of parents said they gave such science-related toys as microscopes, telescopes and experiment kits to their sons in the past year, only 47 percent purchased such items for their daughters.

The discrepancies may result in part from factors parents consider to be potential challenges for boys and girls learning science.

Those surveyed said more girls -- 58 percent -- than boys -- 51 percent -- still fight perceptions that science classes are "boring or uninteresting." While 56 percent of girls lack good role models and mentors in science, only 45 percent of boys have trouble finding role models, the survey said.

The parents surveyed apparently would appear to disagree with the Harvard University President Lawrence Summers, who set off a firestorm of controversy this year when he attributed the issue of fewer women in science and math to innate differences between the genders.

With 90 percent expressing confidence about their children's potentials in science and engineering, the survey shows " parents are confident both their sons and daughters can succeed," Toulouse said.

One reason for the difficulty in generating enthusiasm for science among girls and boys may be how it is taught in schools. Fifty-six percent of those surveyed said science was not emphasized enough at elementary schools, and 87 percent said teaching methods should focus on hands-on experiments rather than textbooks and lectures.

"We need to move away from rote memorization," said Toulouse who helps oversee Bayer's Making Science Make Sense program, in which Bayer employees bring science to school classrooms nationwide. "Instead of reading about science, they should actually be wiring flashlights to see how things are put together."

Parents also may be reluctant to promote science careers to children because of the misperception that those jobs require several advanced degrees. Of parents surveyed by Bayer, six in 10 "were surprised to learn that 70 percent of jobs in science and engineering require a bachelor's degree or less," Toulouse said.

The respondents were split when it came to the question of whether a lack of women and minorities in scientific fields could threaten the country's national security or its leadership position.

While 47 percent said "yes," 49 percent said the country was not in jeopardy that the shortage is a broader problem for the economy and country. That conflicts with the findings of the National Science Board, " which believes there is a shortage of people being trained," Toulouse said.

-----

To see more of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.post-gazette.com.

Copyright (c) 2005, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News.

For information on republishing this content, contact us at (800) 661-2511 (U.S.), (213) 237-4914 (worldwide), fax (213) 237-6515, or e-mail reprints@krtinfo.com.

BAY,

Source: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

More News in this Category