Will She Be An Aerospace Engineer Or Astrophysicist? How Can We Inspire Girls To Shoot For The Stars In Math And Science?
Last year, comments made by Harvard’s then-president, Larry Summers, fanned the flames of a debate that has raged for many years: Why are women underrepresented in science and math professions? Although researchers have repeatedly demonstrated that females are equal to their male counterparts in math and science ability, somewhere down the educational path girls seem to turn their backs on mathematics, engineering and physics as potential career choices. What can we do to encourage girls to pursue careers in these fields?
Columbus, Ohio (PRWEB) September 26, 2006 –-
Researchers and pundits have postulated a variety of explanations for the under representation of women in math and science. While these experts disagree on the cause, they generally agree that the problem manifests in childhood and becomes noticeable in middle school as puberty sets in. “Experts at Harvard hotly debated this issue last year. They agreed that at all ages girls are just as capable as boys in both math and science. They also agreed that it was likely that some combination of biology and gender bias turn girls away from these subjects around the time they enter junior high school,” notes Maria Spencer, co-founder of Ion Development (www. ion-development. com), a company dedicated to encouraging children to explore math and science. “Whatever the cause, we believe that our society will benefit from encouraging girls to pursue their interests in these fields.”
Ion Development challenges the perception that science is a “boy subject” by offering science kits that appeal directly to girls. “Many girls still seem to view math and science as masculine subjects. At Ion Development we believe that this perception was reinforced by the traditional science kits that focused on making things go fast or go ‘boom,’” said Ms. Spencer. These days manufacturers produce a vast array of science kits that capture the same core science concepts as traditional kits but package them in ways that appeal to both boys and girls. They also produce kits intended to appeal especially to girls. For example, Ion Development’s online catalog includes the full line of Scientific Explorer’s spa science kits for girls 8 and up and perfume and cosmetic science kits by Thames & Kosmos’ for girls 11 and up.
“Our own experience suggests that girls are interested in all sorts of science kits – not merely those that are designed to appeal to their unique interests,” Ms. Spencer asserted. Nonetheless parents and other gift-buyers often focus on these girl-only kits when making purchases for the girls in their lives. “These girl-only kits are a great way to spark a girl’s interest in science, but once sparked those girls may find that they are more interested in building a fuel cell car or detector radio. Ultimately it's up to parents to ensure their daughters are given the opportunity to explore all aspects of science without limiting them by societal perceptions of what interests girls.”
About Ion Development
Ion Development is an online retailer providing educational products that encourage children to explore math and science. The company is headquartered in Columbus, Ohio.
For more information, contact Maria Spencer at www. ion-development. com.
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