Share |
View all posts

Misunderstanding diversity

By Kevin Pitts
July 18, 2012

This op ed piece from USA Today argues that we don’t need to improve diversity in math and science.  The author attempts to argue that we shouldn’t be worried because there are more women than men in college, and if you look at science in general, overall diversity is good because more than half of biology majors are female.

This completely misses the point and also ignores what we know about gender differences when it comes to math and science.  
 
When we talk about improving diversity in physics and other STEM fields (math, engineering), our goal isn’t 50/50 male/female representation.   It's possible that there will always be some fields that will be more appealing to men and other fields that are more appealing to women.   What we want is to level the playing field, and make all fields equally accessible to all people.   In other words, we want to make sure that everybody gets a fair shot to find and choose what they want to do.
 
When you read that 72% of psychology degrees go to women, are you concerned that, starting at a young age, men are systematically discouraged from pursuing psychology? I’m not, and I’m also not aware of any studies indicating that elementary and secondary teachers preferentially tell men that they aren’t cut out to be psychologists.
 
But when it comes to math and hard sciences, we know that women are systematically discouraged from these disciplines.   And it’s self-perpetuating. Young women interested in physics see that 90% of their physics professors are male.  
 
So our goal is to level the playing field.   And leveling the playing field means that women of all ages have the support and instruction so that they have a fair shot at becoming a scientist, engineer or mathematician.    Once that happens (and we are very far away from that goal) then I will be ok with whatever the male to female ratio is in physics.

p.s.   The USA Today piece also argues against the Obama Administration's plan to use Title IX to improve diversity in science.   While I tend to favor any effort to level the playing field, I'm not really arguing for or against that point here.  I'm arguing against the position that we don't have a diversity problem in STEM fields

If you have questions about the Physics Illinois Undergraduate Program, contact the Undergraduate Office, 217.333.4361.

If you have any feedback or suggestions for this blog, please contact Kevin Pitts.

Recent Posts

Associate Head

Kevin Pitts
Kevin Pitts
231 Loomis Laboratory
217.333.3946