MEDIA, Pa. — Women make up half of the workforce yet only account for 35% of the workers in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields. This imbalance often begins during school, according to Shruti Shrestha, assistant teaching professor of physics at Penn State Brandywine. She explained that, from her own experience and discussions with students, women pursuing degrees in these fields can feel isolated or out of place, despite excelling in their classes.
She began to investigate what helps women students stay in STEM-related fields, specifically physics, which led her to Chandralekha Singh, distinguished professor of physics at the University of Pittsburgh. Singh studies difficulties students have in learning physics, from curriculum-based concerns to personal experiences. Shrestha discussed retention of women and girls in physics with Singh and current physics students.
Shrestha detailed the discussions, as well as recent research on the topic, in a feature story for the Association of Women in Science’s magazine. In this Q&A, she discussed the inspiration for the piece and what she learned.
Q: What inspired you to write about the gender gap in STEM-related fields?
Shrestha: Many talented young women still question whether they truly belong in physics, even when they are doing good work. When I spoke with undergraduates in my classes, most told me that being one of the few women in the room felt intimidating. Those feelings really resonated with me from my own time as an undergraduate student, and that is exactly what inspired me to write about this topic.
Q: What did you learn when interviewing people for this article?
Shrestha: For this article, I interviewed two former Penn State Brandywine students —Sarvagna Bonangi and Iman Shaikh, who are now studying at University Park — and Chandralekha Singh, distinguished professor of physics at the University of Pittsburgh, as well as numerous other female students in the physics field. I found that women in STEM fields, especially in physics, tend to have lower confidence than men. Dr. Singh, who has done research on the confidence gap and self-efficacysaid that women who have an A in their physics courses have the same confidence level as men who earn a C, meaning their confidence levels are low.
Q: What was the goal of writing this article?
Shrestha: The goal was to show why belonging in STEM-related fields matters. The lack of belonging makes even the most accomplished students feel like they have imposter syndrome, but if a professor takes time to recognize them, it reminds them that their work has value. If a professor verbally tells a student, “You did a great job on this assignment,” that can significantly increase their confidence levels. Perceived recognition is one of the strongest predictors of a student’s physics identity and confidence.
Q: What do you want readers to take away from this article?
Shrestha: When I talk about belonging, it’s not about special treatment. It’s about creating an environment where students can learn, contribute and see themselves as a physics student or physicist. When we foster this sense of belonging, we don’t just want to build confidence in women; we strengthen the entire physics community.
Source: www.psu.edu
