IU program looks to counter stereotypes

Word has been buzzing around college campuses, especially among women, concerning allegations that females are not being offered more leadership positions in science and math based upon their sex. \nThe chatter stemmed from Harvard President Lawrence H. Summers' speech, in which he claimed that females have not climbed to the top of the science and mathematics fields because of the lack of expertise they have in comparison with their male counterparts. \nNow, a group at IU seeks to counter this line of thinking.\nIU's Women in Science Program "seeks to develop and implement programs that promote the participation of women in science, mathematics and technology at (IU)," according to its Web site. "WISP works to create a supportive and proactive positive learning and working environment in which women in science can thrive and succeed."\nWISP's goal is to increase the female representation on all levels of the mathematics and science fields, improve working and learning environments to create the best possible atmosphere to grow academically and establish practices that will draw talented people.\n"Groups like WISP that support women, particularly ones that get them into the doctorate fields, would be a very great thing," said Peter Kloosterman, associate dean and mathematics faculty teacher for the IU School of Education. \nHis research assesses gender issues in mathematics.\nHe said the claims made by Summers were inaccurate because his facts were tainted. Kloosterman pointed out the differences between men's and women's scores are marginal. He said males score about 1 percent better than females on science and math standardized tests.\n"We certainly need good people in math and science -- they're essential," he said. "In some areas when you look at what's going on in pre-college education, the environment for females has improved to the point to where they're close to where males score. But at the college level, far fewer females choose math and mathematically-related fields." \nKloosterman pointed out that the only place with a big difference occurs in highly gifted students. However, it is not clear whether the gap is because of socialization or intelligence.\n"It's not that women can't, it's just that fewer women choose professions in the mathematical fields," he said. \nSummers' comments were an unfair assessment, said junior Ashley Hawkins.\n"I think that society makes women out as the weaker sex," she said. "Obviously that is not true."\n-- Contact Staff Writer Jacqueline Faine at jfaine@indiana.edu.