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Tuesday, 14 April 2015
Gender balance in small groups makes a big difference for women in STEM
If you want women to pursue science degrees, managing group discussions is key.
by Roheeni Saxena - Apr 10, 2015 8:56pm CEST
A new study published in PNAS reports that female engineering students who are exposed to a higher percentage of female peers in small group interactions have increased levels of motivation, greater verbal participation, and feel more confident in their engineering career aspirations. This finding could have far-reaching implications for the gender imbalance that currently exists in engineering and related fields.
A hallmark of the public conversation regarding science education is the issue of gender parity. Fewer women than men pursue jobs and education in STEM fields (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics), and those women who do enter these fields are more likely to leave than their male counterparts. In the US, women comprise only 28 percent of the workforce in these areas, despite being half of the population and getting closer to parity in others.
This gender differential begins during education. In their first year of college, women are less likely than men to state an intention to pursue STEM education, and those numbers continue to fall throughout their first few undergraduate semesters. Though the women who initially said they're intending to major in STEM fields are well prepared academically, they report feeling less confidence in their skills and a decreased motivation to pursue a STEM career compared to male peers.
The authors of this study think that the gender gap in STEM education and careers may be influenced by subtle cues that indicate to women that they don't truly belong in these fields and that their lack of engagement is likely driven by their isolation and concerns about being judged through stereotypes.
To test their hypothesis, the researchers used what's called a stereotype inoculation model. This model posits that when individuals are exposed to peers and experts that are similar to themselves, it protects them from internalizing negative stereotypes about themselves. In the past, research has shown that exposure to female experts in STEM fields can boost a woman's own interest in those fields; however, the new study demonstrated that same-sex peers can have a similar protective effect.
The researchers studied 122 female undergraduates majoring in engineering at a large public university. These students were assigned to groups of research assistants with three types of composition: female minority, female majority, or equal numbers of both genders. The participants were unaware that gender composition of the groups was part of the experimental design, and the subjects were unaware that their group mates were research assistants.
Subjects were asked to work on an engineering task alone, and then within their group. The research assistants evaluated the subjects' participation in the problem-solving process. The subject was then isolated again and asked to assess her self-confidence in her engineering performance, her career aspirations, and how important her gender was to the group experience.
In their analysis, the researchers found that subjects who had been assigned to a female minority group felt significantly more challenged and threatened than those subjects assigned to female majority groups or gender equal groups. The researchers then probed this further and found that younger students in the female minority group were significantly more likely to feel threatened and challenged, but this effect wasn't found in older female students.
Based on the research assistants' observations, the researchers found that all subjects, regardless of age, were significantly more active in group problem-solving when they were in the female majority group than when they belonged to groups with equal genders or female-minority composition. When asked about their gender, women in the female minority group were more likely to perceive their gender in a distinctive and negative way; women in the female majority or gender equal conditions didn't have this issue.
The researchers were also curious about the interaction between these group conditions and the implicit stereotypes that the participants may have held. The one at issue: how quickly participants associated engineering with men rather than with women.
Implicit stereotypes were assessed prior to the solo and group problem solving sessions. The investigators found that, for those participants in the minority female groups, holding implicit stereotypes was associated with less self confidence in their ability. Implicit stereotypes and self-confidence were not associated for participants from the majority female or equal gender conditions.
Finally, the data showed that, for those women assigned to female minority groups, implicit stereotypes were linked to less interest in pursuing an engineering career. This association was not found in participants who were exposed to the female majority or equal gender conditions.
The findings presented in this article will need to be replicated with larger samples in other universities. But they may suggest a novel way to help increase the number of women in STEM fields: group women with each other early in their education. The data imply that, if women are assigned to do group assignments where the gender composition is at least equal, it could help to break the cycle of gender imbalance in STEM fields.
The take home message of this article is that women feel less confident and less likely to hold on to their STEM-related aspirations if they're consistently in the minority. Small groups in which women are the majority may help to protect them from the consequences of being in the minority overall.
PNAS, 2015. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1422822112 (About DOIs).
Listing image by Maia Weinstock on Flickr
Thursday, 12 March 2015
INVITATION: seminar about gender and work-life balance, 23.04.15
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Gender seminar | ||||||||
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On Thursday 23 April 2015, the Doctoral School of Behavioral Sciences and Humanities is organizing a second edition of the 'gender seminar'. Gender and work-life balance are hot topics in the academic community. Three experts will discuss these topics from various points of view, followed by a debate in which the audience is also invited to participate. | ||||||||
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| 09.30: | Patrizia Zanoni (Universiteit Hasselt) Gendered academic careers: Insights from a qualitative study at Hasselt University | |||||||
| 10.15: | Conny Aerts (KU Leuven) An astromama to bear witness and some recent gender actions towards research organisations, young scientists, and schools | |||||||
| 11.00: | Coffee break | |||||||
| 11.30: | Susanne Burri (Universiteit Utrecht) EU legislation and case law on positive action measures: limits and potentials | |||||||
| 12.15: | Panel discussion:
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| Presentation and moderation by Greet Op de Beeck | ||||||||
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When? Where? Registration | ||||||||
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| More information? Ilse Van Damme - e-mail: ilse.vandamme@uhasselt.be | ||||||||
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| Universiteit Hasselt | Martelarenlaan 42 | 3500 Hasselt | Tel.: 011 26 81 11 | www.uhasselt.be | ||||||||
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Monday, 9 March 2015
Uitnodiging lezing / invitation lecture: Prof. Rob Imrie - 18/3 at 11h in B4
Socialising Design:
The contributions of the Universal Design movementWednesday 18 march 2015 | 11:00 - 12:30 h | Room E_B4 | Universitaire campus Building E You are cordially invited by Hasselt University, Faculty of Architecture and arts, to attend the lecture of Prof. dr. Robert Imrie from Goldsmiths, University of London:
Socialising design: the contributions of the Universal Design movementRob Imrie is Professor at Goldsmiths, University of London, with a background in geography, sociology, and planning studies and a doctorate in industrial sociology. He was previously Professor of Geography at Kings College London and at Royal Holloway University of London and has held visiting professorships at the Department of Geography at the University of Strathclyde, the Urban Research Centre at the University of Western Sydney, and the Department of Applied Social Studies at the University of Cork.As a former member of the Department of Communities and Local Government's (DCLG) Working Party and Housing Research Network, he has been acitvely involved in developing links between housing research and policy. In 2004, Rob was awarded the 'Back Award' by the Royal Geographical Society in recognition of 'contributions to research on national and local policies in urban development and local governance'. He is an editorial board member of the 'Access Journal'. His latest book is: "London sustainable? The future of a global city".
In 2013, Rob Imrie has been awarded a three year Advanced Investigator Grant from the European Research Council to investigate the role and relevance of universal design. In doing so, the research is seeking to redress key lacunae by investigating how far UD principles and practices are shaping approaches to the crafting of designed environments, how such practices are governed and shaped by diverse actors, and, how far the differentiated bodily needs of disabled people may be met by the programmes and policies of UD.Universiteit Hasselt | Martelarenlaan 42 | 3500 Hasselt | www.uhasselt.be
dr.arch. Jasmien Herssens
Integratiekader Docent
Designing for More | Universal Design
T ++32(0)11 29 21 72 | GSM 0032 476 64 82 64
www.uhasselt.be
Universiteit Hasselt | Campus Diepenbeek
Agoralaan Gebouw D | B-3590 Diepenbeek
Thursday, 8 January 2015
UITNODIGING studiedag "Onbeperkt aan de slag"
'Onbeperkt aan de slag': Studiedag over de tewerkstelling van personen met een handicap of chronische ziekte
Ook al wil je graag personen met een handicap of chronische ziekte aanwerven, het blijft vaak een opgave. Heb je al aan jobcrafting gedacht? Ben je bezig met jobcreatie? Of heb je jobbanking eens uitgetest?
Tijdens de studiedag 'Onbeperkt aan de slag' zet de dienst Diversiteitsbeleid deze drie concepten centraal, samen met werkgevers uit alle sectoren, beleidsmakers en –medewerkers, HR-specialisten en middenveldorganisaties. Via boeiende workshops en inspirerende goede praktijken uit binnen- en buitenland gaan wij op zoek naar nieuwe wegen om de doelgroep te bereiken, tewerk te stellen en te begeleiden.
We reiken je bovendien heel wat tools aan waarmee je achteraf zelf aan de slag kan om de duurzame tewerkstelling van personen met een handicap of chronische ziekte een boost te kunnen geven.
Wanneer? Maandag 23 februari 2015, 9u tot 16u
Waar? Provinciehuis Leuven
Voor het programma en om in te schrijven, ga naar: http://www.bestuurszaken.be/onbeperkt-aan-de-slag-studiedag-over-handicap
Met vriendelijke groeten,
Dienst Diversiteitsbeleid
Boudewijnlaan 30 bus 33, 1000 Brussel
www.bestuurszaken.be/diversiteitsbeleid
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Tuesday, 16 December 2014
Nieuw initiatief Vlaamse Overheid rond migratieachtergrond
Mozaiko
Mozaiko is een nieuw personeelsnetwerk van de Vlaamse overheid dat advies geeft over thema's rond migratieachtergrond.
De Vlaamse overheid engageert zich om een afspiegeling te zijn van de maatschappij. Maar voor potentiële werknemers met een migratieachtergrond zijn er vaak nog veel drempels om in te stromen. Denk maar aan de erkenning van buitenlandse diploma's, of het beperkte gebruik van specifieke wervingskanalen.
Wie bij de Vlaamse overheid werkt, ook wie een migratieachtergrond heeft, moet de kans krijgen om te groeien op basis van zijn of haar competenties. En om zich goed te voelen op het werk, tussen collega's en leidinggevenden. Ook op het vlak van doorstroom en retentie liggen er uitdagingen: bijvoorbeeld de strenge taalvoorwaarden om statutair te worden.
Waar staat Mozaiko voor?
Mozaiko is een klankbordgroep die mee nadenkt over het aanpakken van deze drempels binnen de Vlaamse overheid. De dienst Diversiteitsbeleid zet zich samen met het netwerk en met andere partners in om te werken aan een meer diverse organisatie. Want een diverse
organisatie leidt ook tot een betere dienstverlening voor de burgers in een diverse maatschappij.
Benieuwd naar de doelstellingen van het nieuwe personeelsnetwerk migratieachtergrond? Ontdek het hier in de visietekst.
Op 18 december 2014 gaat Mozaiko van start. Ontdek hier hoe je erbij kan zijn.
Waarom is Mozaiko nodig?
Collega's Fatima en José leggen in dit flimpje uit waarom zij Mozaiko belangrijk vinden voor de Vlaamse overheid. Je kan netwerken met collega's uit andere beleidsdomeinen, ervaringen en goede praktijken delen. De Vlaamse overheid moet een weerspiegeling zijn van de maatschappij, ook omwille van haar legitimiteit. Vele mensen met een migratieachtergrond denken (onterecht) dat ze geen kans maken op een job bij de Vlaamse overheid. Op 18 december moet iedereen die wil werken aan diversiteit erbij zijn, ook wie zelf geen migratieachtergrond heeft.
Ondertekenen de visietekst van Mozaiko:
Annemie Boone, afdelingshoofd Kind en Gezin
Christine Claus, secretaris-generaal Departement Cultuur, Jeugd, Sport en Media
Frans Cornelis, administrateur-generaal AgO
Guido Decoster, administrateur-generaal ABB
Toon Denys, gedelegeerd bestuurder VLM
Piet De Vooght, afdelingshoofd VMSW
Philippe D'Hondt, administrateur-generaal Vlaamse Milieumaatschappij
Frank Geets, administrateur-generaal Facilitair Bedrijf
Eddy Guilliams, administrateur-generaal Audit Vlaanderen
Jean-Pierre Heirman, secretaris-generaal Departement Leefmilieu, Natuur en Energie
Inge Kinnaer, algemeen directeur Kind en Gezin
Luc Lathouwers, secretaris-generaal Departement Bestuurszaken
Josée Lemaître, administrateur-generaal Studiedienst Vlaamse Regering
Fons Leroy, gedelegeerd bestuurder VDAB
Alona Lyubayeva, Vlaams Diversiteitsambtenaar
Joris Relaes, administrateur-generaal ILVO
Tom Roelants, administrateur-generaal Agentschap Wegen en Verkeer
Helmer Rooze, administrateur-generaal Wonen-Vlaanderen
Joris Sanders, wnd. administrateur-generaal AGIV
Joris Sels, gedelegeerd bestuurder VRM
Linda Stijnen, afdelingshoofd Kind en Gezin
Sonja Vanblaere, administrateur-generaal Onroerend Erfgoed
Anne Vanden Berge, afdelingshoofd Kind en Gezin
James Van Casteren, administrateur-generaal VAPH
Jules Van Liefferinge, secretaris-generaal Departement Landbouw en Visserij
Dirk Van Melkebeke, secretaris-generaal Departement Economie, Wetenschap en Innovatie
Jos Van Rillaer, administrateur-generaal Kunsten en Erfgoed
Raymonda Verdyck, afgevaardigd bestuurder Go! Onderwijs van de Vlaamse Gemeenschap
Katrien Vereecken, algemeen directeur VDAB
Katrien Verhegge, administrateur-generaal Kind en Gezin
Koen Verlaeckt, secretaris-generaal Departement internationaal Vlaanderen
An Vrancken, administrateur-generaal ASCW
Meer info: http://www.bestuurszaken.be/mozaiko
Wednesday, 10 December 2014
«Moslims en niet-moslims in Brussel, tussen spanning en wederzijdse aanpassingen
Geachte mevrouw, geachte heer,
De Stichting heeft onlangs de onderzoekers van het Centrum voor interdisciplinaire islamstudies (CISMOC-UCL) onder leiding van Brigitte Maréchal, opgedragen om een onderzoek uit te voeren met de titel «Moslims en niet-moslims in Brussel, tussen spanning en wederzijdse aanpassingen». De studie snijdt kwesties aan die een reële of potentiële bron van conflicten vormen, zonder taboes, maar evenmin zonder een gezonde en constructieve dialoog uit het oog te verliezen.
U kunt de volledige studie raadplegen of downloaden via de site van de Stichting: http://www.kbs-frb.be/publication.aspx?id=313315&langtype=2067.
In aansluiting op die eerste studie heeft de Stichting aan de onderzoekers van het CISMOC gevraagd een stand van zaken op te maken van de goede praktijken die kunnen helpen om de verstandhouding te verbeteren en wederzijdse misverstanden uit te klaren. Dit nieuwe onderzoek zal worden gepubliceerd in het voorjaar van 2015 en zal u uiteraard worden meegedeeld.
Met de meeste hoogachting,
Françoise Pissart
Directeur
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