Girls + Math + Science

I had to post... couldn't wait... even though I should be working on my TAM lab... but this is important.
Today's XKCD:


Interesting article from the fora
Interesting article about girls, science, and professor parents.

Post from the fora that makes me giggle:
"Attn: Girls

You are probably better at math than you have been lead to believe. Consider becoming an engineer.

My college has a great engineering program.

Come to my school.

Please."

It is interesting reading the xkcd fora... I don't read it on a regular basis... but you get some "intelligent" discussion because of the readership in addition to the "omgwtfbbq girls DO suck at math" discussion... it's not all flaming. The internet CAN be good for some discussion.

In mentoring freshmen (girls in General Engineering, boys in computer science), this is absolutely true at the college level and has to deal with the retention of women in engineering disciplines. Many girls quit out of engineering after the first couple of exams they get a "C" on, saying "I can't do this" whereas their male counterparts say "The professor sucked". The gender stereotyping about math and science starts very very early - as early as how elementary school teachers talk to their students. There ISNT critical mass of women in engineering/math/science to avoid these generalizations. The important part is to focus on skills INDIVIDUALS are good at (or not so good at) and work to improve their weaknesses. Its entirely too easy for an individual female to say "I screwed up, but its ok because girls are bad at math, I give up and will do something else now."

Its funny, coming to the University and Engineering - I didn't feel that I, as a woman, needed special mentoring because I was a woman (but I'm also a professor's daughter). I didn't like "most" female engineers - or at least not big crowds of them. Maybe that's because I've very often been the one girl with a group of 3-5 guys since I was 3 years old (literally). I don't regret not being involved in SWE or WIE - though I probably did miss out on what could be important friendships or some networking experiences - but I DO think mentoring is such an important experience for both genders.