National Science Foundation: News on Women and Minorities in Science

["Broseus, Roger (OD)" <rbroseus@exchange.nih.gov>]

-----Original Message-----
From: NSF Custom News Service [mailto:cns-admin@nsf.gov] 
Sent: Wednesday, May 05, 1999 8:14 PM
To: CNS Subscribers
Subject: [pr9936] - News Releases 


The following document (pr9936) is now available from 
the NSF Online Document System

   Title: S&E Degrees to Women, Minorities on the Rise, Math
          Achievement 'Gender Gap' is Gone
    Type: News Releases
 Subtype: Social/Behavioral Sciences       



It may be found at:

    http://www.nsf.gov/cgi-bin/getpub?pr9936


Full text follows.

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Title:  S&E Degrees to Women, Minorities on the Rise, Math Achievement
             'Gender Gap' is Gone
Date:   May 5, 1999


  Media contact:                              May 5, 1999
  Joel Blumenthal                            NSF PR 99-36
  (703) 306-1070/jblument@nsf.gov

  Program contact:
  Joan Burrelli
  (703) 306-1777/jburrell@nsf.gov

  S&E DEGREES TO WOMEN, MINORITIES ON THE RISE,
  MATH ACHIEVEMENT   "  GENDER GAP  "   IS GONE

       The number and proportion of women and minorities enrolled and
       earning undergraduate and graduate science and engineering [S&E]
       degrees continues to increase, while the number of white men
       doing so is decreasing, according to a National Science
       Foundation [NSF] report released today to Congress.

       Between 1982 and 1994, the percentages of black, Hispanic and
       American Indian students taking many basic and advanced
       mathematics courses doubled.

       And the 1996 National Assessment of Educational Progress [NAEP]
       mathematics assessment results showed that the   "  gender gap  "
       in mathematics achievement has, for the most part, disappeared,
       says Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities in Science
       and Engineering:  1998, a report by NSF  '  s Division of Science
       Resources Studies [SRS].

       Despite these gains, women, minorities, and persons with
       disabilities remain underrepresented in science and engineering
       fields, said the ninth in a series of Congressionally mandated
       reports on the status of women and minorities in science and
       engineering.  The report for 1996 spurred U.S. Rep. Connie
       Morella [R-MD] to sponsor a bill establishing a   "  Commission
       on the Advancement of Women and Minorities in Science,
       Engineering, and Technology Development.  "

       The bill became Public Law 105-255, and the Commission held its
       first meeting April 14.  At that meeting, NSF Director Rita
       Colwell said the Commission has a   "  vital  "   role in
       achieving a collective goal of crafting   "  a new strategy and a
       new direction for human resource development in science and
       engineering.  "

            Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities in Science
            and Engineering:  1998 documents both short- and long-term
            trends in science and engineering education and employment.
            It does not endorse or recommend any policies or programs.
            Among its findings:

  ·    Asians were 3 percent of the population, and 10 percent of the
  S&E workforce in 1995.  Blacks, Hispanics and American Indians made up
  23 percent of the population, but only 6 percent of the S&E workforce.

  ·    Students with disabilities take fewer science and  mathematics
  courses, have lower grades and achievement scores, and are more likely
  to drop out of school than students without disabilities.

  ·    Women scientists and engineers are more likely than men to be
  employed in computer or mathematical sciences, life sciences and
  social sciences; and less likely to be managers if they work in
  business.  Women Ph.D. scientists and engineers are more likely to
  work at elementary and secondary schools and two year colleges, and
  less likely than men to be tenured.

  ·    The percentage of disabled scientists and engineers out of the
  workforce is three times those without disabilities.  Working
  scientists and engineers with disabilities perform the same type of
  work as those without disabilities, and earn virtually the same
  salary.

  -NSF-

  The complete report is available on the NSF website at:
  www.nsf.gov/sbe/srs/nsf99338


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