Interesting Fact

I was reading through a Pitt Chronicle and found an interesting fact. The difference in pay between men and women in Pittsburgh EXCEEDS the US average wage disparity. PGH ranks 71st out of 100 metropolian areas for gender integration.

Where I'm At.

This week I have basically been adding notes to my foundation questions. The more notes I add it seems the more my webliography continues to grow. I have a good amount of notes. There are more notes for some foundation questions than others however. On monday I am going to conduct a person-person interview with Ms. Wilds. I have came up with questions to ask her abouot her experience and the way that science is being taught in the classroom. I am still waiting on a e-mail to try and confirm when I will be able to meet the lady from the organization to finalize plans for a week of August. I am hoping everything goes as plan.

Action Plan and Interview

I have set up a week in August (10-15) when I will be working with the Math and science organization. This is part of my action plan. I am hoping to observe, help out, and take pictures or possibly a video of some of the things the organization is doing to get the girls involved in science. I am also in the process of preparing for my second interview with Ms. Wilds. I think the more interviews the better understanding I will have because of the different areas and perspectives. Today I will be working on my foundation questions and taking notes.

DID YOU KNOW????

-The first women to graduate from medical school was Elizabeth Blackwell in 1849

-7.5 million employed women scientists verses 10.4 million employed men scientists in the US
Women represent 23% of science and engineering jobs(private sectors and government)

African American/Hispanic women are 20% each of the workforce but only 6% work with science/engineering

http://braincake.org/files/GMSP_StatsData.pdf

· Gender equity creates cultural problems and without the diversity businesses/science will not excel
o Women hold about half of the workforce in the US and only make up 1/5 of the nations science workers
o Being a minority and being a women doubles the barriers in the science field and high education
http://www.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=11741&page=13

· As scientist women are faced with choosing between their career and their social life (marriage, children). They have less of a chance to have a full life because of the work schedule
o The biology and natural interest between the sexes influences the work that they adapt to.
http://www.popecenter.org/commentaries/article.html?id=2135

· The way that girls are raised (dolls, make believe) influences the way that they perceive what a scientist should be which is masculine or traits of a male
http://www.andreagrant.org/work/paper.html


-In 2003 there were 22,791 male with doctorate degrees and 17,947 compared to 1983 where 23,858 men earned doctorate and 7,858 females. Women in Science Statistics

Foundation Questions/ Contacts

I have been working on answering my foundation quesions. Each source has links to other sources which brings more information and answers to my foundation questions. This also means more sources on my webliography. Besides answering my foundation questions I have also been e-mailing the organization for part of my action plan. We have been trying to work out days where I can come in and observe and help out with the organization. I just realized that there is alot of differend directions that I can go with my action plan because of the summer and the activities that will be going on with my job and other organizations.

Success

Yesterday, I sent out my interview questions to a resarch chemist at a labortory and recieved a reply back within hours. She was a very good source for my project. She gave me alot of advice on how to go about entering the science field. I was surprised and happy that she answered every single questions fully and amazed at her passion for her career. I was also able to learn about one of the barriers that women face in the science field which is the choice between career and family. She made me aware that even though there are a lack of women in the science field it may not always be because of the myths or stereotypes but because of the challenges, sacrifices, hardwork, and dedication that some do not have or are not willing to go after. If they dont have it no matter what the gender then they should not be pushed to go into the field.

Action plan/ interview

I have finished my proposal. For my action plan I am hoping to get in contact with a Math and Science organization and become a volunteer, I will also shadow someone in the field that I want go in and keep a journal, I will also put my college applications together. The three parts of my action plan will show how females are trying to get represented in science. I have also sent out my first e-mail interview to a female research chemist and will be awaiting her reply.

Getting involved!

Starting out this project I already had organizations and people in mind that I wanted to work with or talk to. However everything doesnt always go as planned or at the speed that you want it to so I have started to take a different route. I have set up a meeting with Ms.Peck today and I am going to try and talk to other organizations and directors of these organizations to see how I can become involved. I think that I have many ways to go about doing a action plan for my project its just planning everything out may take more time.

Pre-Write

Today I am just looking through my sites and foundation questions. I am taking a few notes for my foundation questions. I have jotted down a few little notes on my pre-write sheet, and started to write the first two paragraphs of my proposal.