Process Paper
In the field of physics, women are an underrepresented group. While some believe that this is due to a disparity of capability between the sexes, this opinion is not corroborated by evidence. Instead, research seems to suggest that the disproportionate amount of women in physics is due to the effects of subtle bias, societal expectation, and the appeal of physics to females. In reality, women are just as capable of studying and pursuing careers in physics as men.
I chose this topic because I am very interested in social issues, and the extremely low number of female physicists was a topic which intrigued me. Whenever I see vast differences between two groups of people, I find that the factors influencing the differences usually reveal a great deal about a society.
In addition to my strong interest in the social aspect of this project, I was also drawn because this seemed similar to my own situation. While I have always been interested in the sciences, my interests have consistently leaned towards the social and biological sciences rather than the physical. Whenever I have been confronted with a subject such as physics or chemistry, I find the amount of mathematics and detail involved with its study to be quite exasperating and overwhelming.
Because of my aversion to the physical sciences, I have never considered a career in this field. I was curious to find out if my experience was truly a cause of my individual academic personality, or whether it was caused by these subtle societal and historical influences.
To begin my research, I first started to look at online sources from universities, news organizations, and blogs. This preliminary research enabled me to gain a basic knowledge of the issue. Later, I relied on primary sources, namely, interviews with physical scientists and students. The interviews that I conducted were quite enlightening, as they appeared to reflect much of the research that I had done. After the research had been collected, I organized the information onto a website, intending to present this topic in an accessible and interactive manner.
I believe that this topic is of great importance to the study of physics. Our world is increasingly becoming more focused on science, math, and technology - all of which are fields strongly related to physics. If we continue on the present path, with women being under-represented in these fields, then women will be unprepared to face a new world that is dependent upon science. Before this happens, educators, students, and parents must see that the ability to understand and appreciate science is not dependent upon gender. Science is present in every aspect of this world we share, meaning that no group of people should feel as though they are innately incapable of studying these subjects.
I chose this topic because I am very interested in social issues, and the extremely low number of female physicists was a topic which intrigued me. Whenever I see vast differences between two groups of people, I find that the factors influencing the differences usually reveal a great deal about a society.
In addition to my strong interest in the social aspect of this project, I was also drawn because this seemed similar to my own situation. While I have always been interested in the sciences, my interests have consistently leaned towards the social and biological sciences rather than the physical. Whenever I have been confronted with a subject such as physics or chemistry, I find the amount of mathematics and detail involved with its study to be quite exasperating and overwhelming.
Because of my aversion to the physical sciences, I have never considered a career in this field. I was curious to find out if my experience was truly a cause of my individual academic personality, or whether it was caused by these subtle societal and historical influences.
To begin my research, I first started to look at online sources from universities, news organizations, and blogs. This preliminary research enabled me to gain a basic knowledge of the issue. Later, I relied on primary sources, namely, interviews with physical scientists and students. The interviews that I conducted were quite enlightening, as they appeared to reflect much of the research that I had done. After the research had been collected, I organized the information onto a website, intending to present this topic in an accessible and interactive manner.
I believe that this topic is of great importance to the study of physics. Our world is increasingly becoming more focused on science, math, and technology - all of which are fields strongly related to physics. If we continue on the present path, with women being under-represented in these fields, then women will be unprepared to face a new world that is dependent upon science. Before this happens, educators, students, and parents must see that the ability to understand and appreciate science is not dependent upon gender. Science is present in every aspect of this world we share, meaning that no group of people should feel as though they are innately incapable of studying these subjects.
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