Gender Study About Robotics Teams

[afowl]

Hi FIRSTers, I’m a member of Team Mercury 1089 and my history teacher assigned a gender study to my class. Another student and I on our team have decided to revolve our study around people involved in science and technology. Everyone is invited to answer these questions and we are very appreciative of your answers. You can either post up responses here or PM them to me. I’ll post the findings of our project after we compile the statistics. Thank you for your time.

Team Specific Questions:

1. What is your team name and number?
2. Where is your team from?
3. What is the gender break down of your team? Specifically regarding:
A. Team Leadership:
Students?
Mentors?
B. Drive Team:
C. Pit Crew:
4. Have you dealt with or seen a gender bias on your team? Please explain.

Family Life Questions:

1. What is your gender?
2. What are your parents’ jobs/careers?
3. What is your career/your spouse’s career? (If applicable)
4. Do you have brothers and/or sisters? What are their hobbies/jobs?
5. Roughly describe your childhood: (i.e. who did you spend time with, what types of toys did you play with)

Person Specific Questions:

1. Why did you join robotics?
2. Why do you think that there are so few women working in science and technology fields?
3. What do you do on your team?
4. What are your post high school aspirations? (Include college majors etc)
5. Have you considered going into a science or technology field? Why or why not?
6. Have you ever been discouraged about your career aspirations? By whom? (Relation and gender, no names please)

[GGCO]

I'd suggest creating a google doc's form for this. It would allow you to easily and reliably track your data.

[Dancin103]

Originally Posted by GGCO

I'd suggest creating a google doc's form for this. It would allow you to easily and reliably track your data.

I agree here 100%, this will be the cleanest way for you to collect your data. Just set up and excel sheet in a google doc. Also, FIRST has released a study just like this one, it is about 4 years old now. I would love to see the results of your study however. (FYI I'm addicted to statistics, both reading and conducting my own studies. I wish you the best of luck!

[Jon Stratis]

Team Specific Questions:

1. What is your team name and number?2177, The Robettes
2. Where is your team from?Mendota Heights, MN
3. What is the gender break down of your team? Specifically regarding:
A. Team Leadership:
Students? 3 female co-captains
Mentors? 3 Male, 2 Female
B. Drive Team: 100% Female
C. Pit Crew: 100% Female
4. Have you dealt with or seen a gender bias on your team? Please explain.The team is part of an all girls Catholic high school... I guess you could say there's a gender bias

Family Life Questions:

1. What is your gender?Male
2. What are your parents’ jobs/careers?Accountant/teacher
3. What is your career/your spouse’s career? (If applicable)Software Engineer
4. Do you have brothers and/or sisters? What are their hobbies/jobs?1 sister, Psychology
5. Roughly describe your childhood: (i.e. who did you spend time with, what types of toys did you play with)Pretty much normal growing up

Person Specific Questions:

1. Why did you join robotics?It sounded interesting, and was a good way to give back to the community
2. Why do you think that there are so few women working in science and technology fields?A lingering affect of "traditional" gender roles, dating back hundreds of years to when women didn't have jobs at all.
3. What do you do on your team?Mentor for electrical mostly, help out with programming/mechanical when needed.
4. What are your post high school aspirations? (Include college majors etc)Been living them for 10 years now
5. Have you considered going into a science or technology field? Why or why not?Already there, working for one of the major medical device companies
6. Have you ever been discouraged about your career aspirations? By whom? (Relation and gender, no names please) Nope. As my mom puts it, she new I would be an engineer when I was 5 and asked why some plugs had 2 prongs, and others 3!

[davidthefat]

1. What is your team name and number?
Falkons 589
2. Where is your team from?
Southern California
3. What is the gender break down of your team? Specifically regarding:
A. Team Leadership:
1 Female
2 Male
Students?
~10 Females
~30 Males
Mentors?
1 Female
8 Male
B. Drive Team:
Not Decided Yet
C. Pit Crew:
Not Decided
4. Have you dealt with or seen a gender bias on your team? Please explain.
I've seen gender bias; programmers are all male.
Family Life Questions:

1. What is your gender?
Male
2. What are your parents’ jobs/careers?
Construction
Stay at home mom
3. What is your career/your spouse’s career? (If applicable)
Student
4. Do you have brothers and/or sisters? What are their hobbies/jobs?
1 Brother; annoy me, watch tv, play basketball, play video games.... the typical 12 year old boy
5. Roughly describe your childhood: (i.e. who did you spend time with, what types of toys did you play with)
Legos and C++ are the only profound "toys" I remember. Videogames

Person Specific Questions:

1. Why did you join robotics?
What is the use in a talent for programming if it is being used for random junk biz that no one would see? Robotics allowed me to use my skill productively.
2. Why do you think that there are so few women working in science and technology fields?
Why? Because of the history of human kind and the circumstances they were put in.
3. What do you do on your team?
Lead programmer
4. What are your post high school aspirations? (Include college majors etc)
Doctorate in Comp Sci/Come Engineering in Caltech. I want to be a research scientist at JPL, IBM, Intel, Lockheed Martin, Boeing, or any of those types of companies/organizations.
5. Have you considered going into a science or technology field? Why or why not?
Yes ever since I was like 5... I never knew why, I just love it.
6. Have you ever been discouraged about your career aspirations? By whom? (Relation and gender, no names please)
A lot of people. Mostly for my mediocre grades... The stereotypes.

[Cyberphil]

1. What is your team name and number? 103, Cybersonics Technology Team
2. Where is your team from? Kintnersville PA
3. What is the gender break down of your team? Specifically regarding:
A. Team Leadership: 2 male, 2 female
Students? 16 male, 13 female
Mentors? 7 male, 1 female
B. Drive Team: 4 males
C. Pit Crew: 5 male, 2 female
4. Have you dealt with or seen a gender bias on your team? Please explain.
I would say no. We have had a significant amount of girls on our team from the beginning.

Family Life Questions:

1. What is your gender? Male
2. What are your parents’ jobs/careers? Engineer/Carpenter
3. What is your career/your spouse’s career? (If applicable) Student
4. Do you have brothers and/or sisters? Yes What are their hobbies/jobs? Robotics team
5. Roughly describe your childhood: (i.e. who did you spend time with, what types of toys did you play with) LEGOS! hiking, camping, outdoorsy stuff, building things, all kinds of great stuff!

Person Specific Questions:

1. Why did you join robotics? Lego League/ extreme interest
2. Why do you think that there are so few women working in science and technology fields? Stereotypes and the current culture
3. What do you do on your team? Animation, manfacturing, drive team, and president.
4. What are your post high school aspirations? (Include college majors etc) Mechanical Engineering Major, onto a mechanical engineer carrier
5. Have you considered going into a science or technology field? Why or why not? Yes, because that is what I love.
6. Have you ever been discouraged about your career aspirations? By whom? (Relation and gender, no names please) Not really. People always love to hear what I want to do, and they encourage it more than anything.

1. Orange Thunder, 2879
2. St. Louis Park, Minnesota (10,000 Lakes regional)
3. We don't have specific sections, but we've had one girl on the team at maximum: Camille graduated last year, and Ryan left for time reasons this year, but hopefully she'll join and stay next year.

1. Male
2. Father: Office manager-ish job Mother: Librarian, beading expert
3. I volunteer at the library
4. My brother is also on the team, likes engineering and environmental science, I think
5. Standard LEGO/K'nex/whatever and videogames

1. Because it looked like fun and the millions of dollars in scholarships
2. Gender bias? Maybe the culture's stay-at-home thing? I'm an engineer, not a sociologist, but I do know this is a problem.
3. I'm the captain, but also do mechanical/electrical and some CAD
4. MIT or Embry-Riddle, preferably Aerospace Engineering, then working in Lockheed Martin Skunk works or something similar
5. See 4. And I wanted to go into STEM because I'm around it basically all the time and like building things
6. Not really

Thaine

[J-Blondie]

Team Specific Questions:

1. What is your team name and number? Team 1675 The Ultimate Protection Squad
2. Where is your team from? Milwaukee, Wisconsin
3. What is the gender break down of your team? Specifically regarding:
A. Team Leadership: 2 main female leaders
Students? 4 girls, about 12 boys
Mentors? 2 girls, about 10 boys
B. Drive Team: 2 girls, one boy
C. Pit Crew: 2 girls, 1 or 2 boys
4. Have you dealt with or seen a gender bias on your team? Please explain.
Not really.

Family Life Questions:

1. What is your gender? Female
2. What are your parents’ jobs/careers? School Security guard (mom), chef (dad)
3. What is your career/your spouse’s career? (If applicable) Prospective Doctor of Immunology or Diagnostics
4. Do you have brothers and/or sisters? What are their hobbies/jobs? One Sister, manager at a fast food restaurant
5. Roughly describe your childhood: (i.e. who did you spend time with, what types of toys did you play with) I spent time with a lot of boys. I played with Hot Wheels and didn't like things like Barbies, or things that didn't move and do cool things.

Person Specific Questions:

1. Why did you join robotics? I started in 6th grade with FLL because I needed something to do after school and it sounded awesome!
2. Why do you think that there are so few women working in science and technology fields? I think it depends on the interest and background of the individual person. It may also depend on just the fact that it is not a traditional woman's job so it will take some time before women are fully involved, as it has with most every other career.
3. What do you do on your team? I am a mentor, but I used to be a part of mechanical/fabrication and pit crew.
4. What are your post high school aspirations? Pre-Med and History
5. Have you considered going into a science or technology field? Why or why not? Well, I want to be a doctor, but nothing into engineering because I really really really hate math.
6. Have you ever been discouraged about your career aspirations? By whom? (Relation and gender, no names please) Not at all. Everyone who I consider family and good friends support me fully in whatever I would choose to do

[big1boom]

Long post
1. What is your team name and number?
2022 Titan Robotics
2. Where is your team from?
Aurora, IL
3. What is the gender break down of your team? Specifically regarding:
A. Team Leadership:
Students?
14 Male
3 Female
Mentors?
5 Male
2 Female
B. Drive Team:
Every year in the past we have had 2 male, 2 female
C. Pit Crew:
3 Male 1 Female, all students
4. Have you dealt with or seen a gender bias on your team? Please explain.
Yes, we have very few females try out for our team. This year is one of our worst. Our team was founded by a couple of girls, and started out a majority girls, however now we are down to less than 30%
Family Life Questions:

1. What is your gender?
Male
2. What are your parents’ jobs/careers?
Commercial Real Estate researcher, teacher.
3. What is your career/your spouse’s career? (If applicable)
High School Student, planning to major in mechanical
4. Do you have brothers and/or sisters? What are their hobbies/jobs?
1 Brother, economics, robotics, college student in CompE
5. Roughly describe your childhood:
Early childhood consisted of lots of outdoor play, going on trips during the summer to see the country. Helping out whenever we were doing a renovation. Taking things apart. I played with things like lego, knex, brio, etc
Person Specific Questions:

1. Why did you join robotics?
The whole team spent a weekend at my house in 8th grade. After that I was hooked.
2. Why do you think that there are so few women working in science and technology fields?
Primarily due to early development. During development, girls are given dolls to play with, boys are given trains.
3. What do you do on your team?
I am one of the lead team captains, and am the primary project manager. This year I lead the design of the drive system, superstructure and minibot.
4. What are your post high school aspirations? (Include college majors etc)
I am planning on attending Michigan Tech as a Mechanical Engineering major, with the possibility of throwing in a CS double major.
5. Have you considered going into a science or technology field? Why or why not?
Yes, my experience with robotics has shown me that I have a knack for technology, and it is just fun.
6. Have you ever been discouraged about your career aspirations? By whom? (Relation and gender, no names please)
No, I have only been encouraged.

[JDL]

Team Specific Questions:

1. What is your team name and number? 498
2. Where is your team from? Glendale, AZ
3. What is the gender break down of your team? Specifically regarding:
A. Team Leadership:
Students? 2 Female, 3 Male
Mentors? 2 Female, 8 Male
B. Drive Team: Don't know for 2011 yet, typically all guys though
C. Pit Crew: Don't have a set pit crew
4. Have you dealt with or seen a gender bias on your team? Please explain.
Not in my opinion

Family Life Questions:

1. What is your gender? Male
2. What are your parents’ jobs/careers? Mom: Stay at home mom, Dad: maintenance tech
3. What is your career/your spouse’s career? (If applicable) Me: industrial/utility electrician
4. Do you have brothers and/or sisters? What are their hobbies/jobs? Nope
5. Roughly describe your childhood: (i.e. who did you spend time with, what types of toys did you play with) Legos and stuff like that, I'm pretty sure I stuck a screwdriver into a receptacle at an early age too.

Person Specific Questions:

1. Why did you join robotics? I wanted to be involved in something in HS and it seemed to be a natural fit.
2. Why do you think that there are so few women working in science and technology fields? I think it goes back to the typical gender rolls thing.
3. What do you do on your team? Electrical stuff, keep them from smoking the electrical stuff, bring in cool tools and test equipment, and help with the mechanical.
4. What are your post high school aspirations? (Include college majors etc) I'm (slowly, I hate sitting in classes) working toward me EE degree, I also plan on taking the AZ electrical contractor's exam, I have this crazy idea about being my own boss one day
5. Have you considered going into a science or technology field? Why or why not? I don't think I ever want to work in any other field, I like working with tools, troubleshooting, problem solving, and designing stuff.
6. Have you ever been discouraged about your career aspirations? By whom? (Relation and gender, no names please) Nope

[Carol]

Do you want only students to reply or mentors as well?

[afowl]

Originally Posted by Carol

Do you want only students to reply or mentors as well?

We'd like anyone involved (mentors, students, alumni, volunteers etc) to fill out the form. We understand that not everyone will be able to answer every question but any and all opinions are welcomed.

[Ben Martin]

Team Specific Questions:

1. What is your team name and number? Harrison Boiler Robotics, Team 1747
2. Where is your team from? West Lafayette, Indiana
3. What is the gender break down of your team? Specifically regarding:
A. Team Leadership:
4 female, 4 male
Students? 20 male, 6 female
Mentors? 8 male college students, 4 other male adults
B. Drive Team: typically 25% female, including coach
C. Pit Crew: roughly 15-20% female
4. Have you dealt with or seen a gender bias on your team? No. Our team has had female presidents for the last four years.

Family Life Questions:

1. What is your gender? Male
2. What are your parents’ jobs/careers? Sales director
3. What is your career/your spouse’s career? (If applicable) Engineering student
4. Do you have brothers and/or sisters? What are their hobbies/jobs? One brother, biology
5. Roughly describe your childhood: (i.e. who did you spend time with, what types of toys did you play with) I was mostly a loner growing up. I did play with LEGOs a lot.

Person Specific Questions:

1. Why did you join robotics? A guy a grade above me in my Boy Scout troop suggested that I join.
2. Why do you think that there are so few women working in science and technology fields? Acceptance of unfortunate gender role stereotypes
3. What do you do on your team? CAD, manufacturing, scouting mentor
4. What are your post high school aspirations? (Include college majors etc)
Already graduated and loving it
5. Have you considered going into a science or technology field? Why or why not? Yes -- Majoring in industrial/systems engineering at Purdue University
6. Have you ever been discouraged about your career aspirations? By whom? (Relation and gender, no names please) No

[viperred396]

1. What is your team name and number?2240 Brute Force
2. Where is your team from? Denver, CO
3. What is the gender break down of your team? Specifically regarding:
A. Team Leadership: 1 female, 4 male
Students? 4 females, 16 males
Mentors?0 females, 5 males
B. Drive Team:undecided
C. Pit Crew:undecided
4. Have you dealt with or seen a gender bias on your team? Please explain.Gender bias, No i find the whether consciously or not the ladies seem to the the harder workers

Family Life Questions:

1. What is your gender?Male
2. What are your parents’ jobs/careers? Father: Airline Pilot Mother: Insurance Salesman
3. What is your career/your spouse’s career? (If applicable) N/A
4. Do you have brothers and/or sisters? What are their hobbies/jobs?Brother, Hobbies: reading, building legos Sister, hobbies: playing with friends
5. Roughly describe your childhood: (i.e. who did you spend time with, what types of toys did you play with)I spent majority of me time either building things or playing with the computer

Person Specific Questions:

1. Why did you join robotics?I cant remember, I think it was a spur of the moment thing
2. Why do you think that there are so few women working in science and technology fields? Because some women feel as if they are not able to do the "smart stuff"
3. What do you do on your team?logistics and Build
4. What are your post high school aspirations? (Include college majors etc)Get an degree in mechanical engineering going though an Army ROTC program
5. Have you considered going into a science or technology field? Why or why not?Yes and No, If in the military I am able to do something in the science and/or technology field then I will but if not thats oj too
6. Have you ever been discouraged about your career aspirations? By whom? (Relation and gender, no names please)I have been told by many of my friends (both male and female) that the military is a bad idea but I just ignore them remembering that its my life not theirs

[treffk]

Team Specific Questions:

1. What is your team name and number? Team Stealth #1802
2. Where is your team from? Kansas City, KS
3. What is the gender break down of your team? Specifically regarding:
A. Team Leadership: 1 female and 4 male
Students? Total: 16; Female: 2; Male: 14
Mentors? Active mentors(we have some away at college currently) Male: 5; Female: 2
B. Drive Team: Not decided yet but most likely all male
C. Pit Crew: All male, possibility of 1 female
4. Have you dealt with or seen a gender bias on your team? Please explain. We have a difficult time getting students in general which leads to finding females wanting to participate extremely difficult. Our team is very small compared to other local teams.

Family Life Questions:

1. What is your gender? Female
2. What are your parents’ jobs/careers? Admin and Shop Manger(mechanic)
3. What is your career/your spouse’s career? (If applicable) Student
4. Do you have brothers and/or sisters? What are their hobbies/jobs? 1 Brother, he competes in FLL and likes to make replicas of medieval weaponry
5. Roughly describe your childhood: (i.e. who did you spend time with, what types of toys did you play with) I spent time mostly with boys, I grew up outside of a neighborhood and had to entertain myself. I loved my legos(still do), Lincoln logs and my barbies.

Person Specific Questions:

1. Why did you join robotics? Heard all about it from my cousin and wanted to be apart of something so amazing
2. Why do you think that there are so few women working in science and technology fields? Gender roles still playing a major factor in today's society
3. What do you do on your team? Student: Treasury, scrap booking, attendance, safety, public relations, outreach, fundrasing, and basically everything outside of the robot. Mentor: Basically everything I did in high school but now I'm helping coach the students on how to do it
4. What are your post high school aspirations? (Include college majors etc) College and a job with FIRST
5. Have you considered going into a science or technology field? Why or why not? Was originally a ChmE then switched to Secondary Education focus in science.
6. Have you ever been discouraged about your career aspirations? By whom? (Relation and gender, no names please)