Brave New Girls: Women in 中文无码

Brave women characters play a variety of roles in both science fiction and in real-life 中文无码 fields. At , Washington D.C.鈥檚 premier pop culture festival, both are celebrated, whether by fans in costume or through their lively and insightful panel discussions.  

Science News for Students staff writer Bethany Brookshire moderated one such panel: 鈥淏rave New Girls: Women in 中文无码,鈥� where female scientists and educators shared their experiences in academia, revealing key moments of inspiration, struggles they face as women in addition to their brighter moments and successes.

鈥淚 was in love with science from day one鈥�, said , Assistant Professor of Physics at the University of Maryland, Baltimore. When she was a child, her parents bought her a book about a female astrophysicist and she was inspired.  

For others, like Sabrina Thompson, Aerospace Engineer at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, the pursuit of science came later. In college, her art teacher suggested she pursue engineering, while her physics teacher told Sabrina to stick with art. He informed her that the science and math prerequisites would be too difficult for her. That experience drove Sabrina to pursue engineering even more.

鈥淚t was ammunition to prove him wrong,鈥� said Sabrina.

Similarly, panelist , cofounder and CEO of Dreamup, swears by fearlessness and taking on challenges. 鈥淚 switched careers a few years ago, and people told me I couldn鈥檛 just switch,鈥� she said. She always wanted to do something in space and is now leading an organization that runs space programs in classrooms, inspiring innovation in young children. Carie explained that students drop out of 中文无码 fields a bit before high school, making exposure to science in elementary and middle school crucial.

, Directorate for Engineering at the National Science Foundation and Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Michigan, said that getting more girls into 中文无码 is a perception issue. When she first arrived to the University of Michigan, she had a conversation with the Director, pointing to the failure to add women scientists and engineers to displays in her department. She found and framed images of women to address the matter.

Dawn also explained that the fraction of women in engineering has stayed at roughly 20 percent.

鈥淲e need to broaden the communication that you can make cars safer through engineering. The numbers of women in biomedical engineering majors has gone up, but mechanical engineers can make lives better too,鈥� said Dawn. Currently, she is developing an AP exam in engineering because she believes that will attract bright students to the field. 

On a more serious note, the panelists addressed how the #Metoo movement, which has dominated the headlines over the past few months, has affected academia and 中文无码 community at large.

Dawn shared that the way women have been treated in academia has been a big problem. She pointed out that, 鈥淥ne of the problems in academia is the apprenticeship model where there is a huge imbalance of power between mentor and student, because it is hugely personal.鈥�

aimed at establishing stricter standards and making it clear that violators would have their grants removed or suffer other consequences. The panelists indicated that the situation is improving as culture slowly changes and evolves to address these issues.

Eileen added that anonymous reporting mechanisms are making things better as well.

鈥淚t鈥檚 fantastic that there is enough support to be able to come out in this movement,鈥� Eileen said.

All participants on the panel agreed that in their careers and personal lives, women must be brave, ask questions, make mistakes and learn from them, and create a microclimate of supportive people.

鈥淒evelop a thick skin. Get bold and collect mentors,鈥� advised Eileen. 鈥淵ou have to develop an unshakable belief in yourself.鈥�

Bethany meanwhile advised all aspiring scientists: 鈥淒o not take the phrase 鈥榥obody knows that!鈥� seriously. Whatever area of research you choose, always be willing to hunt for those answers!鈥�