An Innovative High School Scientific Research Program; Breaking The Gender Expectations In STEM

An Innovative High School Scientific Research Program;

Breaking The Gender Expectations In STEM

Elizabeth Ashforth PhD MRSCArleen Forsheit PhD

Marlborough School, Los Angeles, CA

The Google View of Scientists

http://www.google.com Accessed January 19th 2012

http://www.google.com Accessed January 19th 2012

Female Scientists and Hollywood

Program History & Goal

Pursue science beyond HS; college majors and careers

Nine girls seeking more; have professional mentor and on campus mentor

Outside classroom; greater responsibilityQuarterly writing and presentation for

academic credit

Honors Research at Marlborough

Program descriptionDesign and execute an original

research project Independent; self directedMentoring; openness to feedbackMinimum: 1 year commitment

(summer work)Assessment

Communication; written and oralProgress: process

Benefits to Girls

Understanding STEM: Beyond the AcronymRelatedness of science, technology and

humanities/social sciencesConfidence: Know Thyself

Can be a lab scientist or Don’t want to be!

Research Process; focus on the question, not the answer

Benefits Beyond Graduation

Willingness to approach labsResumé builder

Continued Mentoring31/59 =51% with a major in math, science

or engineering 22/57 = 39% with a career in math or

science or engineering (includes medicine)

Program Graduates: Feedback

“…the program made me realize how interconnected science and math are…it pushed me to select an interdisciplinary major…and then work at the interface of business and technology…”

“…after the program I had the confidence to approach professors at Berkeley and begin research as an undergraduate in my Freshman year…

“My experience in the program was directly responsible for me getting my job at NOAA…”

Student Expectations

Rock stars Surprise stars Expected stars Fading stars…

Lack of maturityRisk averse ?Failure “intolerance”

Sample Projects

Conditions for Spatiotemporal Boundary Formation

Genetically Modified Stem Cells as a Cell Based Therapy for Temporal Lobe Epilepsy

Electroencephalography (EEG): Source Localization of Sound-Induced Flash Fusion

Nanofibous Scaffolds for Cardiovascular Tissue Engineering

Challenges Mentors (finding, persuading and keeping

them) Managing expectations

Not a class, not a program for everyone “you can’t tutor you way out of a problem”

Institutional Permissions Competing priorities

Sports, APs, college application “season” etc

Unexpected surprises

http://articles.latimes.com/2011/dec/28/local/la-me-1228-ucla-death-20111228

Starting A Program; Things To Consider

Start small! Cost

Transportation/parking Labor intensive; greater staff cost

Non-traditional skill requirements for teachers Research expertise People skills; reaching out beyond school boundaries Flexibility; year-round program with varying needs

Administration support Resources Academic credit and “unique” policies