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THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2014
PAGE 3
Women in science, math majors try to increase their numbers
Technology and engineering fields make effort, too
CHANDLER BOESE
@Chandler_Boeese
The natural sciences and mathematics, housed in the College of Liberal Arts and Science, has a tenured and tenure-track faculty. 22 percent of which are women.
From undergraduates to tenured professors, the University is lacking in the number of females engaged in the STEM fields. As of last fall, 14 percent of tenured or tenure-track faculty in the School of Engineering were female, according to the Office of Institutional Research and Planning.
To combat the underrepresentation of women in the University's STEM fields (science, technology, engineering and mathematics), different organizations and programs within the University are making efforts to bring more women into those programs and positions of leadership.
As for students, out of the 2,436 undergraduates enrolled in the School of Engineering this fall, there are less than 500 females — about 20 percent of the school, said Virginia Nichols, statistical and information officer at OIRP. For graduate students in the school, the numbers are slightly
Bozenna Pasik-Duncan, a professor in the mathematics department, is an activist for bringing women in leadership positions.
As for CLAS, the undergraduate division of Natural Sciences and Mathematics is 44.8 percent female, and graduate students are 38.7 percent female, Nichols said.
"At my level of career, I am deeply concerned about the lack of female distinguished professors in my field at KU or even no research awards for women," Pasik-Duncan said. "Men take those highest recognitions. This fact is discouraging and affects the whole community."
higher, with 25.8 percent of the students being women.
One solution advocated by female professors at the University is to increase the number of women in leadership roles in these fields. According to the faculty lists on the University's website, among the 14 departments and centers in the natural science and mathematics division of CLAS, only one has a female chair or director.
In 1987, while teaching at the University, Pasik-Duncan founded the international program Women in Control, which hosts annual conferences all over the world to discuss the issues facing women in the STEM fields. In leading the 2015 conference, which will take place in Paris next July, she is making an effort to bring women into leadership roles.
Kristin Bowman-James, a professor in the chemistry department, said during her time as chair of the chemistry department, four out of seven new hires were women.
"I started to think, 'Maybe there's a reason there's not so many [women] here. But then I started to look more into it and I thought, 'No, I can do this, it's going to be fine.'"
KATIE TINDELL Chemical engineering major
"This is not due to my wonderful proactive flair — but rather women looking for faculty positions see a woman chair and feel that the department would be welcoming to women," she said. Chemical engineering major Katie Tindell, a freshman from Basehor, said she agreed, saying that the lack of visible women in her field made her pause when choosing a major.
"I started to think, 'Maybe there's a reason there's not so many [women] here,'" "Tindell said. "But then I started to look more into it and I thought, 'No, I can do this, it's going to be fine.'"
Another suggested solution to close the gender gap is to encourage STEM education and enthusiasm among young girls. The School of Engineering holds a Eureka Weekend for
elementary students, said Florence Boldridge, director of diversity and women's programs. Participants get to experience some "fun" aspects of science and engineering at an elementary level.
Research that was published Oct. 22 by Donna Ginther, director of the Center for Economic and Business Analysis at the University, shows that working with high school students about mathematics might be the most effective way to help them succeed in the sciences.
But elementary-age students are not the only ones STEM organizations are trying to reach. The University's chapter of the Association for Women in Mathematics holds events like math relays at high schools during April, Mathematics Awareness Month. In addition to Eureka Weekend, Boldridge said the School of Engineering holds two "Weekends of Engineering," where high school girls can learn more about the University's engineering program.
Her research reported that when young women take advanced math courses in high school and go into a math-based science, like engineering or physics, they tend to be more successful than young women who don't take as much math in high school and go into life sciences, like biology. The latter group earns less PhDs and less of its members end up back in academia.
- Edited by Miranda Davis
stuff that I don't really give him the patience, the effort, that he deserves," McNeal said.
PARENT FROM PAGE 1
A NURTURING ENVIRONMENT
McNeal said the University is a positive place for parents. She said she has her limits — she won't go hang out at a dorm to work on a group project — but will invite students over to work at her apartment instead. Many of her classmates, she said, don't even know she's a veteran or a parent.
She also said once professors learn more about her, they tend to be understanding about her time limitations. She said she is often in contact about small things, like doctor's appointments.
"I haven't run into any instructors who are just like, 'No.' " McNeal said.
She said she enjoys the University's environment and has never heard another student say anything negative about non-traditional students or single parents.
While she enjoys attending classes, she said she believes priority enrollment would help her and other parents at the university.
"Any little bit helps," McNeal said.
McNeal said while she loves her son, when she's in her classes, she doesn't always want to be known as a parent or even a veteran, and chooses not to bring her son to classes or advising appointments.
"I don't try to stand out as a parent," McNeal said. "It's not like I'm hiding it, I talk about it in some of my classes, but I think there might be a stigma associated with being a parent and I would rather just be known as being a student."
Edited by Rob Pyatt
KU1nfo
FOLLOW @KANSANNEWS FOR ALL YOUR UPDATES ON THE FLY
World War II veterans had an extreme impact on KU enrollment. There were just under 4,000 students enrolled in 1945. The numbers ballooned to just over 9,000 in 1946.
RINK FROM PAGE 1
downtown retailers,increase traffic to the library and provide an outdoor winter activity.
"It gives people the opportunity to get outside and it's something you can do as a family." Pollington said. "It shows that we are making an investment in Lawrence."
The rink cost roughly $80,000, but is expected to be open annually for several years to come, Gibbs said. It will be able to accommodate roughly 125 people at a time.
"We wanted to expand on the benefits of downtown," Gibbs said. "The way the system works is that we can use it well into the future and it's a one-time expense."
The rink is located in the Lawrence Public Library plaza on Vermont Street. It will be open evenings and weekends, as well as possible weekday activities like lessons or holiday events. Skate rentals will be $3 per person.
McKenna Harford
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An evening with the Chief Curiosit Correspondent from The Field Museum.
Emily Gras
Thursday, Nov 13
7:00-8:00pm
The Commons at Spooner Hall
2014
KU
COMMON BOOK
EVENT
Sponsored by: KU Natural History Museum, the Office of First-Year Experience, the School of Journalism, The Commons, and the Spencer Museum of Art
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