The
2010 report entitled, Why So Few? Women
in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics, by the American
Association of University Women (AAUW) is based on interviews with top
researchers and a review of the large body of academic research literature on
gender and science. It presents eight separate research findings on the nurture
side of the nature-nurture debate. Each
of these findings demonstrates that social and environmental factors clearly
contribute to the underrepresentation of women in science and engineering.
The research findings are organized into
three areas: (1) how social and environmental factors shape girls’ achievements
and interest in math and science; (2) how the climate of university science and
engineering departments affect women’s - both students and faculty - experience
in STEM fields; and (3) the continuing role of bias in limiting women’s success
in STEM in education and the workplace.
