Re: Research says: Feminine STEM role models do not motivate girls
 

Whoa, don't drive yourself crazy! Your job is simply to do what you do best as well as you can.

None of us can inspire EVERYONE, but our hope is to inspire SOMEONE. There may be some aspiring PhD's who will be turned off by my decision not to strive for the highest level (but I hope that there are other PhD women out there to inspire them). And there may be others who see my situation who might think, "I could never get a PhD, but I can still be involved in STEM and have a family like her." STEM is not one-size fits all, and the more options we can demonstrate to others, the wider reach we'll have. Our job is not to be the "perfect STEM model", but to demonstrate one of many possible options. The last thing we want to do is give the impression that this is the "right" or "only" way to do it.

If we operate with integrity and dedication, I don't think we have to worry about turning people off, even if they choose to go in a different direction than we do. The biggest potential turn-offs:

1. Using femininity to unfair advantage. One of my engineering profs had a policy of no make-up exams, stated clearly on the syllabus. A female student went into his office, scantily clad, and was able to obtain a make-up exam, after a number of male students had made the same request just minutes before and been rejected. That action caused much grumbling among male (and other female) students.

2. Having an inflated idea of one's abilities, and expecting special privileges because we're girls. A female student scoring the 650 on her math SAT was surprised to be rejected from MIT because "650 is a great score for a girl." But it's not a great score for an MIT engineering applicant.

Whether you're "too girly" or "not girly enough" won't be the pivotal issue. Most essentially, do you enjoy engineering, and are you good at one or more aspects of it? If your character and your passion for the subject are genuine, the other pieces naturally will fall into place.

Re: Research says: Feminine STEM role models do not motivate girls
 

I've been following this thread and I think Katie is bringing up an excellent discussion regarding impact. Women who have the credentials and the skill sets who are making an impact as role models. The key word is impact and I think that is a valuable topic to discuss, especially regarding Chief Delphi members and members of FIRST who can and do serve as role models. The reason that I think this is valuable here in CD and in FIRST is because we have role models impacting young people in influential and powerful ways - every day. Ways that the role models may not ever be aware of.

In Chief Delphi, it would be great to see more women submitting white papers and designs for others to view, ask questions about, use as resource material. In FIRST, it would be great to see more women working together to knock our socks off at a Championship conference presentation. At a Regional or District level, it would be great to see more women working together, creating innovative opportunities for teams to talk and network with them. There are all sorts of opportunities for women to promote STEM initiatives, engineering experiences, and career choices. There are opportunities to network with and participate in other programs and share that information.

Each person that serves as a mentor is making an impact, for better or for worse. That's the reality. When the mentors figure out how to maximize that opportunity and act on it - that's when it really starts to get interesting and that's when change occurs. I think this discussion is actually about change. Cultural change and strengthening the process that creates the change.

Thanks for creating this thread, Katie. It's a good one.

Jane

Re: Research says: Feminine STEM role models do not motivate girls
 

I should've mentioned that I am not going to change who I am. That would be ridiculous and something I know I am not capable of. But its more of just wondering what the impact I have on my students is. Wouldn't someone want to know if they were having a negative influence/impact?

I really want to add to what Jane has said, but I will save that for another hour when I am more awake.

Re: Research says: Feminine STEM role models do not motivate girls
 

Even though I am a guy, I think I can relate to the mysteries of one's influence on a team. In my case, its not so much gender but other things.

For my first 3 years of FRC I was on a HS sponsored team... Which meant that unfortunately a lot of the drama that occurred during the school day would cross over to the time on the team. During my HS years I was loved by a select few but hated by many. I also was popular for a short time, winning a slot on Homecoming court my sophomore year. This too was short lived, which turned into more enemies and bad relations. What a painful lesson to learn.

Robotics was the one thing I was great at, but even on the team I had many enemies (I could go on for a long rant on that). I know that my presence caused a few people not to join due to the hatred. One even quit after a year just because he couldn't stand being seen with a team I was on. I do know of one person who my presence helped feel more at home on the team, but most everybody else came from a different background and fit the mold of the usual rich student who was the child of a local engineer (My family wasn't rich and no close relatives have an engineering background). In fact, combined with the fact that I was the only freshman in 2008, my first year was rough socially, as I was only accepted by a couple Leading Juniors and the mentors. Despite a strong junior year and a Dean's list finalist, only half of the students really embraced me as a member by the time I moved away to another city and another team.

I have always wondered whether I hurt or helped the team's image. I may never know. What I do know is that the year after I joined many students from a background not unlike mine made the jump and joined. Whether I was part of that or just a spectator to a large change is mystery.

However, I don't regret what I did on the team. I try to focus on the good I did for the team in terms of my work and knowedge. Do what you do, and give it your best. You are who you are, make the best of it in whatever ways you can.

Re: Research says: Feminine STEM role models do not motivate girls
 

Katie - Thanks for bringing up this very thought provoking topic!! I was just reading Brain Rules, and they have a great chapter on actual physiological differences between the male and female brain. To me the most interesting were some of the studies on how men & women communicated in the workplace and even younger students in the classroom.

You make some really great points here, and with some in depth thinking, I have to wonder why we actually disassociate attractiveness from ability to be good at STEM... I don't know if its just a generalization (look around an engineering college, really, what percentage of people there are really attractive?? I hate to say it but far less than a liberal arts school), but I wonder what drives that. To me, someone who takes the time to do hair and makeup is a very detail oriented person... so why couldn't they be detail oriented in their work? Is it just that we think that hour getting ready would be better spent on technical thought?

Interesting background... when I started at Draper, I was put on a set of programs of which two had incredibly attractive technical leads that are my age. One was a male, one a female. I was actually somewhat intimidated, thinking "jeez, are all of the leaders here gorgeous??". Thinking back though, I realize I never once questioned their technical ability. In getting to know both of them, the female was incredible technically skilled, and the male was one of the best leaders I have ever had. Both very quickly became my role models here at work. Though I will admit, neither one of them once discussed how long it took to get ready in the morning, or how they picked out their shoes, or how much they spent on clothes... it was all business. So I would guess there is some merit to them proving themselves technically and not discussing anything that could perceivably be related to attractiveness (ie the lipstick in the video).

Plenty have already responded to this, but what they say is true. Though to get more into the second post... while it is good to have an awareness of other's perceptions of you, you cannot have a fear of their perceptions. I'm fairly certain I've told this story before, but in 1511's second year, I was overwhelmed when we "lost" Chairmans and won EI. I should have been excited, but the intensity of the moment got to me, so I went off in a corner (I felt as a leader, this feeling was "wrong") as tears streamed my face. Several students found and surrounded me, and many others took on a similar emotional stance. I found out later that night a student's 10yr-old brother was getting on the bus and said "see when Kim cries, the whole team cries". It blew my mind. I had no idea I had that kind of influence. And I was immediately afraid of my every action. But I then realized that I was going to learn and grow with the team, and I would NOT be perfect and controlled at every step, and that was completely ok for the students to see that. I did become more aware of the team's perceptions of me, and often used it to figure out how to motivate others, how to be more inspirational. But I still made plenty of mistakes. Role models are human. Its easier to relate to humans. Katie - all of us have so much to learn, and especially the college mentors - focus on growing yourself, and the girls you inspire will grow along with you. Continue to be aware of your surroundings and other's perceptions, but don't let them drive how you act, or what is at your core.

Jess definitely has a way more concise way of what took me an entire paragraph!

There have been many discussions on this already... I guess the real question is HOW do we make this happen? How do we get our female role models to strive for these Rock Star positions? I actually think a lot of what I read in the Brain Rules book may be a lot of the reasoning behind it. The question is how do we work with that, or even around that, to get more females to pursue these positions? I would love to see a study or some statistics on how many female mentors are Technical vs non-Technical. I honestly have no idea.

Also, I know there have been many discussions on the "it doesn't matter if the role model is male or female". And to some extent I agree, but then I realized, when I was seeking out a mentor here at work, I decided that I wanted to find "a female in a high position that was approachable and also had a family." While young girls may not have exactly the same thought process yet (or maybe they do unconsciously), to me, there is something different about going through motherhood that you just cannot "bond" with a guy over. Sure there are plenty of amazing dads (my dad included!), but I want to know that a woman can successfully go through childbirth, perhaps take some time off, perhaps work part time, and then still come back to be successful. I was incredibly lucky that I found exactly that woman here at Draper, and I'm certain there are others. It makes me feel relieved to know that I can actually have that kind of life. While I think stay-at-home moms are amazing, thats not what I am aiming for at the moment, so I want to see that a woman can succeed in an engineering field past that period of life. If I want role models that are good technically, or role models that are good leaders - I don't really care if they are male or female. But if I want a Role model who is the full PERSON that I want to be, well, she has to be a she! (This by no means is the case for every female - you can be incredibly successful and never be married or never have kids, but it just represents who I want to be).

This has been a very intriguing topic with a lot of great points :) Keep up the great discussion!

Re: Research says: Feminine STEM role models do not motivate girls
 

Just a quick comment...

I don't necessarily equate Rock Star status with prestige, influence, and impact. That sets people apart. What I would like to see women do, is learn to work more closely together in support of STEM initiatives, shedding the spotlight on their work, their career paths, and the opportunities that are available. If that propels them into Rock Star status, cool.

Jane

Re: Research says: Feminine STEM role models do not motivate girls
 

I think the HOW would be an excellent thing to talk about and brainstorm on.

In 2011 I experienced three different problems relating to Females getting involved with Engineering:

1. I had a student who felt that she had to fight harder then the boys on the team to have her voice be heard when discussing the 2011 robot design and who had no female engineering mentor on her team. She had a hard time feeling confident on the team.

2. I was talking with two girls who were doing a video project, and I asked them what they were majoring in (sadly I was already expecting them to say they wanted to major in communications or multi-media). One said they wanted to go into a medical field and one wanted to get involved with electrical engineering. When I asked what part of the team they were a part of they said the communications side.

3. I was talking to another mentor who had been trying to get females from a large engineering company to come in and talk to their students about being a women in STEM and they couldn't find ANY women who would be willing to take the time and talk with these girls.


Because of these experiences I felt that some ways of encouraging more girls to get involved with STEM could be:

A. Working to raise girls confidence levels when working with STEM

B. Encourage more female engineers to become involved with STEM


I haven't quite figured out HOW to create a program that works on raising girls confidence levels when working with STEM so if people have ideas on projects, programs, or events that focus on building that up, that would be great.


For encouraging more female engineers to become involved with STEM:

1. I've contacted the local College Chapter of Society of Women Engineers (SWE) and requested to have a breakout session at their Regional Conference in February 2013 to talk about FIRST.

2. For the conference I've been working on gathering video interviews of Female Engineering mentors and students in FIRST who are talking about WHY they mentor, and what they get out of it, and why other women should consider becoming a mentor to the program. I'm hoping that the video will allow me to actually show the members of SWE how important their mentoring could be and encourage them to get involved.

Video has been taken at champs for this, and I'm going to be at IRI working on this as well. PM me if you know anyone who should be interviewed and will be at IRI or would be interested in this.

3. Creating a marketing campaign to get more female judges from companies who support FIRST at regional events (This is in progress).


Does anyone have other ideas for HOW to encourage more girls to go into STEM, HOW to build up their confidence, and HOW to get more female engineering mentors involved?

Renee

Re: Research says: Feminine STEM role models do not motivate girls
 

I guess we've been blessed with years and years of confident, bossy girls. :)

Re: Research says: Feminine STEM role models do not motivate girls
 

IMHO you hit the nail on the head. Nice post.

Re: Research says: Feminine STEM role models do not motivate girls
 

Competence is the foundation of confidence, and when girls achieve a certain level of proficiency, it's much easier for them to be heard. Training in how to present ideas with concrete reasoning is a skill that will improve both their confidence and their effectiveness.

A person (guy or girl) who says, "I think a scissor lift would be more effective than a 6-bar this year, because the density of the objects in this year's game exacerbates the torque requirement of the longer 6-bar" will get more listeners than, "I think we should use a scissor lift." Someone who can present their idea with a CAD rendering, photo of another team's similar design, a built prototype of their mechanism using simple parts, or even a hand-drawn sketch also has an edge.

I've had girls who are very well-respected, because they were willing to do the work to get good. They came in humbly as learners, and after reaching a certain level of competence, they shared opinions, which were embraced and used. These girls have taken on heavily technical roles, like head programmer and builder.

Other girls came in as newbies with the attitude, "I'm as good as everyone else here, and we should all be treated as equals." Their ideas were ignored, and rather than saying, "I was ignored as a newcomer" they reported, "I was ignored because I'm a girl."

The LAST thing I want to give my girls is a sense of entitlement -- "We deserve to be listened to because we're girls." In these days and times, girls sometimes get passed over for being girls, but sometimes also get special treatment for the same, and getting in the habit of expecting that special treatment as a "given" does not serve anyone well.

P.S. Thanks, Katie, for starting this thread. I've really enjoyed it and hope my responses haven't been overly strident.

Re: Research says: Feminine STEM role models do not motivate girls
 

Those are the girls that pave the way for other girls.
Those are also the girls we aren't as worried about, because they (and I) are what I have recently found out to be anomalies. :)

I have enjoyed every word of your post. Quoted for added emphasis.

Re: Research says: Feminine STEM role models do not motivate girls
 

(Agreed with Katie.) There's also a good deal of sample bias for many FRC teams: self-selection for this is usually to confident, bossy people--especially girls because it helps overcome the, at least statistically, negative stereotype both labeled on them externally and held internally.

In fact, we have the same confident girl phenomenon that you do, but the girls on the periphery and unfortunately the ones we've missed or lost completely were very definitely in line with this thread, more so than the boys (who tend to genuinely realize they just don't enjoy it). In fact, with gender-neutral recruiting, we've considered [completely unscientifically] that it isn't because most girls are more--or even generally equal--to guys in confidence and these other facets, but because the ones that are tend to be more mature.

Understandably but unfortunately, the overall population does not have the same concentration of self-assurance. If all these people--men and women--were following other dreams with full confidence and support, what a wonderful world we'd have. Given the research though, there's very strong evidence of external pressures steering away from that vision.

Re: Research says: Feminine STEM role models do not motivate girls
 

And miniscule sample sizes. I have been asked repeatedly over the years how we attained and maintained a 30-50% female participation rate on a yearly basis -- and without having female mentors (we now have one; a former student) -- and my answer is always the same:

I don't know.

Re: Research says: Feminine STEM role models do not motivate girls
 

Our answer to that is, "It just takes one." We've meant that with regard to one female student. I do know that, as a technical mentor, the world would be my oyster. As a non-technical mentor, I've had many graduating seniors thank me for being a role model, even though I'm tough. :) As a technical mentor, I think I would really be on the receiving end of gratitude and appreciation. But.. I can only imagine.

Jane

Re: Research says: Feminine STEM role models do not motivate girls
 

Your entire post is beautiful. I dunno how else to say it.

Sorry for not having anything useful to contribute... all I can say is that I built confidence by taking over a dying section of my team (it was the Animation committee, not very engineer-y... but that's how I got into the team after all) and then becoming a leader through steps...