Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility

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Women in Physics

Latifa Elouadrhiri

Jefferson Lab

Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility

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High School Graduates

NSF, S&E

Indicators, 2008

Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility

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NSF, S&E

Indicators, 2008

High School Graduates

Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility

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NSF, S&E

Indicators, 2008

Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility

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NSF, S&E

Indicators, 2008

Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility

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Women in Physics

Ivie & Ray 2005

Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility

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Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility

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Leaky PipelineLeaky Pipeline

• Pipeline is a conceptual picture with multiple stages –

• Stage 1 -- high school

• Stage 2 -- undergraduate

• Stage 3 -- graduate school

• Stage 4 -- post-doctoral

• Stage 5 -- career researcher (University, National Lab, etc.)

• The biggest leak in the pipeline is in the college years following high school.

• 50% of high school physics majors are women

• <25% of bachelor’s degrees are awarded to women

Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility

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HopeHope

• From educators who administer undergraduate research

• The retention rate of male and female students is almost identical nearly 80% for students in undergraduate research programs. (from NSF’s recent workshop)

• However, fewer females take these opportunities

Probable reasons for retention?

• Getting hooked on research?

• The sites that administers the program are aware of the ‘leak’ and may make special effort

Recruit graduating high school majors for summer research

Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility

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Factors Contributing to RetentionFactors Contributing to Retention

• Diversity

• University faculty, Lab’s Scientific Staff

• Mentoring

• Has to happen at every stage

• Collegial

• Seeking and valuing student input in research work

• Interesting work

• Course work as well as research work

• Family friendly policies

• can be made gender neutral

• e.g. Supporting young children’s travel with the parent to conferences

Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility

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Factors Contributing to RetentionFactors Contributing to Retention

• Building Confidence

• Why can’t a woman be more like a man?

Student should not have to make that type of choice

• Understanding and eliminating conscious and unconscious biases

• Commitment to creating the right environment

Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility

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SummarySummary

For Students • Create an environment to keep students engaged

• Start early in the career

• Provide Research opportunities

• Discussion/Seminar groups

• Giving responsibility with authority

• e.g. Organizing undergraduate seminars

• Provide mentors/role models

Explore funding opportunities for ‘rising freshman’ (i.e. students who have graduated from high school) to do summer research

.

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SummarySummary

For Scientists

• Reach students early

• As early as high school

• In order to reduce dropout rate, encourage students at every step of their careers (reducing the pipeline leak)

• Value their intellectual input to your research

Not surprisingly, a number of these measures work for male students as well

This is not free.Institutions must support these efforts