A new set of guidelines, a lab manual and multiple groups at Pitt are working to reduce bias in academic science and increase diversity in STEM fields.
"In theory, there’s a straightforward path towards an academic STEM career. Remain focused academically, pay special attention to math and sciences, find mentors and keep up the work until you’re publishing original research findings, being selected for grants and making a mark in your field.
In practice, for women and those from backgrounds and ethnicities that are underrepresented in the sciences, the pathway to entry and retainment often includes obstacles that arise from how they are seen by others in these disciplines and how those perceptions affect how they see themselves."
One of the researchers of this study is Chandralekha Singh, a professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy and director of the Discipline-Based Science Education Research Center.