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Assessing and Improving Girls' and Women's Math Identity (2021-2022)

The gender gap in STEM fields exists at all levels, from childhood through career selection, and there are many different, but often related, causes for female underrepresentation. Two major causes of the gender gap are a significant disparity between men and women in their spatial reasoning skills and students’ math identity, represented by their beliefs, attitudes and emotions about math and STEM.

This project addressed these two major causes of the gender gap in STEM by planning and running a series of free workshops for middle school girls in Durham, designed to improve their math identity. These workshops, which were led by female-identifying undergraduate students on the team, accommodated students of all skill levels, encouraging them to solve rich, accessible problems using multiple approaches. The curriculum also included age-appropriate discussions about gender stereotypes and their impact.

Team members also analyzed survey data collected during previous years of the project to assess current beliefs among girls and women as they pertain to stereotypes, self-assessment and other issues related to gender and STEM.

project aims to address two major causes of the gender gap in STEM by planning and running a series of free workshops for middle school girls in Durham, designed to improve their math identity. Additionally, the project aims to assess current beliefs among girls and women as they pertain to stereotypes, self-assessment and other issues related to gender and STEM.

Timing

Fall 2021 – Summer 2022 

Team Outputs

Workshops to Improve STEM Confidence Among Girls in Durham (2022 Fortin Foundation Bass Connections Virtual Showcase)

Assessing and Improving Girls’ and Women’s Math Identity (poster by Trinity Johnson and McKenna Vernon, presented at Fortin Foundation Bass Connections Showcase, Duke University, April 13, 2022)

Reflection

Sydney Hunt

This Team in the News

Duke Names Seven New Trustees

Three Duke Alumnae Named 2023 Knight-Hennessy Scholars to Pursue Graduate Study at Stanford

‘Ensure everyone has access to resources they need and deserve’: Meet Undergraduate Young Trustee finalist Sydney Hunt

Taking the Bull City by the Horns

Spotlighting Innovative Duke Women for #InternationalWomensDay 2023

Senior Spotlight: Reflections from the Class of 2023

This project team was originally part of the Education & Human Development theme of Bass Connections, which ended in 2022. See related teams, Assessing and Improving Girls' and Women's Math Identity (2022-2023) and Improving Girls’ Math Identity through Problem-solving and Mentorship (2020-2021).

 

Image courtesy of 2019-2020 project team

Team Leaders

  • Victoria Akin, Arts & Sciences: Mathematics
  • Suzanne Crifo, Academic Resource Center
  • Sophia Santillan, Pratt School of Engineering: Mechanical Engineering & Materials Science

Undergraduate Team Members

  • Sarah Chang, Mathematics (BS); Visual Arts (AB2)
  • Chloe Derocher, Biomedical Engineering (BSE)
  • Adrianna Diaz, Biomedical Engineering (BSE)
  • Morgan Feist, Electrical & Computer Egr(BSE); Computer Science (BSE2)
  • Jackie Herzberg, Biomedical Engineering (BSE)
  • Trinity Johnson, Mathematics (AB)
  • Gargi Mahadeshwar, Computer Science (BS); Economics (BS2)
  • Mia Malden, English (AB); Computer Science (AB2)
  • Nadeska Montalvan, Chemistry (BS); Computer Science (AB2)
  • Leila Nelson, Computer Science (BS)
  • Bailey Patrick, Neuroscience (BS)
  • Morgan Robertson, Public Policy (AB)
  • Sydney Simmons, Psychology (AB); Neuroscience (AB2)
  • McKenna Vernon, Environmental Engineering(BSE)
  • Daniella Welton, Economics (BS)

Community Team Members

  • Elizabeth Moffitt, Durham Public Schools
  • Lauren Valentino Yadav, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

Team Contributors

  • Martha Putallaz, Arts & Sciences: Psychology and Neuroscience
  • Christina L. Williams, Arts & Sciences: Psychology and Neuroscience