Stella: A play about women, their men

and astronomy

Slides prepared for aftershow discussion by Dr. KarenL. Masters

Institute of Cosmology and Gravitation University of Portsmouth.

The Groundlings Theatre, PortsmouthTuesday 29th October 2013

by Take the Space (www.takethespace.co.uk)

What are “Nebulae”?

(to Caroline Herschel - probably anything which looked fuzzy on the sky and might be mistaken for a comet....)

How Caroline Might have seen things....

Comets

Star forming regions

Dying stars

Galaxies

Women in Astronomy in the 21st Century

Royal Astronomical Society Demographics (2010)

Royal Astronomical Society Demographics (2010)

“A major barrier to change is that only 20% of entrants to A-level Physics are female”

At University in1990s

At University in 1980s

At University in 1970s

“It’s Different for Girls”, report 2012

46% of schools sent no girls on to A-level Physics in 2011

* how children view Physics.* how teachers and parents support/encourage children

to do Physics.

xkcd.org

Stereotypes and stereotype threat

Negative stereotypes about girls� and women�s abilities in math and science adversely affect their performance in these fields.

•  Expose girls to successful female role models in math and science.

•  Teach students about stereotype threat.

Source: Spencer, S. J., Steele, C. M., & Quinn, D. M., 1999, "Stereotype threat and women's math performance," Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 35(1), p. 13.

Performance*on*a*Challenging*Math*Test,**by*Stereotype*Threat*Condi:on*and*Gender*

Spatial skills are not innate and can be improved with training.

One of the largest and most persistent gender gaps in cognitive skills is found in the area of mental rotation, where boys consistently outperform girls.

Playing with building toys as well as drawing can help children develop spatial skills.

1981 2013

Implicit Bias

Most people associate science and math fields with �male� and humanities and arts fields with �female.�

  Take a test to learn about your unconscious bias

at https://implicit.harvard.edu.

  Take steps to address your biases.

•  Women in �male� jobs are viewed as less competent than their male peers.

•  When women are clearly competent, they are often considered less �likable.�

 Raise awareness about bias against women in STEM fields.

 Create clear criteria for success.

Bias against Women in Nontraditional Fields

Women in the IAU

Cesarky & Walker, A&G April 2010

The Impact of Children

“The data suggest that senior women in  academic  astronomy  are  much  more  likely  not  to  have  children  than  women  in  the  

popula5on  as  a  whole.”

RAS2010 Demographic Survey

Role Models of Mothers in Science

(Royal Society Publication)

Women in Amateur Astronomy

(Data much harder to get)

Sky and Telescope Readership Surveys:

Average age: 51Women: 5%

40% have been amateur astronomers for 20+ years...

Women in professional astronomy:

19% of 840 responses 163 women astronomers

RAS2010 Demographics