students do not get to interact and meet science profession- als until they start their undergraduate degrees, and by that time, the scientist stereotypes are often deeply imbedded in the subconscious. However, by shedding light on the diversity within the scientific community, students can begin to make connections with actual scientists. Researchers in Oregon introduced a residency program
inviting working scientists from Oregon State University to come into elementary school classrooms to talk with students and even teach a lesson of their choosing. Students were asked to draw pictures of scientists before and after each visit to see if there were any correlations between scientist pres- ence and the presence of stereotypical drawings. Pre-visit drawings fit the trend of a male scientist working alone in his indoor laboratory. However, post-visit drawings had a much more diversified touch. There were almost as many female scientists drawn as there were men, and the overall presence of stereotypical indicators per drawing had decreased, indi- cating the students had a much broader perspective. Some students even left notes about how they felt like scientists were normal people, with one female student commenting, “I used to think they were just people that wore white coats and said things you would never understand.”6 In cases where actual scientists cannot make it to the
about scientists, and it was crucial to close the information gap between their perceptions of scientists and the reality.
Hindering our science identity
The stereotypes conveyed to people about science and the sci- entist image can intentionally and unintentionally influence one’s sense of belonging in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines. Understanding what people think of scientists offers insights into how young peo- ple and adults choose their science identity. Identity is the extent by which we define ourselves as a certain “type of per- son,” with science identity being whether or not we see our- selves as scientists.3 Growing up, our parents and teachers are some of our
greatest influencers, and they can directly or indirectly pass on their own stereotypes and perceptions. For example, if parents and teachers do not appear confident or interested in science, then there is a strong chance that students will feel they are also not skilled at science and that it isn’t a subject worth pursuing.4
Results from a 2014 study using DAST
found that 60% of drawings from science teacher candidates contained scientists wearing glasses, while 80% contained men wearing lab coats.5
How then, can we expect young
students to overcome these stereotypes when the very peo- ple responsible for shaping their minds already have biased mindsets?
Role models and possible selves
The answer may be as simple as providing students with opportunities to meet actual scientists at a younger age. Most
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classroom, more engaging and enlightening assignments can serve as stereotype disrupters. Implemented in a com- munity college Human Biology course, Scientist Spotlight assignments (See Appendices A & B for example activities) each provide students with a resource about the scientist’s research, generally a journal article, and a resource about their personal history such as an interview, podcast, or TED Talk. Students are then asked to write a brief reflection about the materials they have just engaged with, making sure to note what information was interesting, confusing, and what the resources told them about the types of people who con- duct science. Students noted that the combination of resources and con-
tent helped them make connections with actual scientists and also helped humanize them and showcase the diversity within the scientific community. Students provided a wide variety of feedback in response to the spotlight assignments with com- ments noting that they “can look at scientists with a new per- spective,” “appreciate the humble beginnings of their stories,” and that “... your race, background and sex don’t matter — it’s all about your passion and love for knowledge.”7 The idea that students can make connections with scien-
tists through a variety of platforms gives students the oppor- tunity to create their own science identity. After experiencing diverse examples of people engaged in science, students can hopefully see themselves reflected. Instead of telling students they need to be more like someone else, they can forge their own paths and science identities, knowing that someone of a similar background is already a scientist whom they can relate to.
A science makeover
There is still much work to be done in diminishing the ste- reotypes plaguing the scientist image. We have to examine the roles popular media, the educational system, and culture
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