Project 2: Hidden Figures
By: Keith MacDonell - kmacdone
As neither a woman nor a minority, I obviously don't have first hand experience with the challenges both groups have breaking into STEM fields. My speculation, however, would be that the largest challenge that they have to overcome to break into the field is the preconceived notions members of the field have about women or the given minority. This was abundantly evident in the environment of the movie Hidden Figures.
Katherine has to deal with this with respect to all of the white engineers whose math she is checking. Due to the fact that she is black and a woman, the perception is that she is not as good as the engineers. At one point in the film, she is told that she cannot put her name on the document that she authored because "computers don't author documents." Both Dorothy and Mary have to deal with their own obstacles in the movie, and they all end up breaking into their respective areas. Clearly the obstacle they faced in the movie were much more overt due to the time period, but problems similar to this persist throughout the STEM fields. I think that the largest reason for this is for the preconceived notions of society and of the members of the STEM fields. I definitely feel that this problem should be addressed, but I don't really see an implementable solution. The solution is for the members of the STEM fields to have a paradigm shift that women and minorities are every bit as qualified as everyone else. I just don't see a good way to get there.
The stories people tell and the way that they portray groups of people is extremely important, as stories can reinforce stereotypes. I have always viewed STEM as the area I wanted to study. Since an early age, I have liked making things and solving puzzles. STEM, for me, was the obvious extension of this. I don't know that I can say that there is a specific story or stereotype that influenced my view of STEM. Since both my parents are medical doctors, I did hear a lot of stories about things that happened at the hospital and the lives that were saved. I guess all those stories reinforced the idea in my head that the STEM fields were a way that I could meaningfully contribute to society. Obviously you don't have to be in a STEM field to make meaningful contributions, but it seemed the most likely vehicle for me.
As neither a woman nor a minority, I obviously don't have first hand experience with the challenges both groups have breaking into STEM fields. My speculation, however, would be that the largest challenge that they have to overcome to break into the field is the preconceived notions members of the field have about women or the given minority. This was abundantly evident in the environment of the movie Hidden Figures.
Katherine has to deal with this with respect to all of the white engineers whose math she is checking. Due to the fact that she is black and a woman, the perception is that she is not as good as the engineers. At one point in the film, she is told that she cannot put her name on the document that she authored because "computers don't author documents." Both Dorothy and Mary have to deal with their own obstacles in the movie, and they all end up breaking into their respective areas. Clearly the obstacle they faced in the movie were much more overt due to the time period, but problems similar to this persist throughout the STEM fields. I think that the largest reason for this is for the preconceived notions of society and of the members of the STEM fields. I definitely feel that this problem should be addressed, but I don't really see an implementable solution. The solution is for the members of the STEM fields to have a paradigm shift that women and minorities are every bit as qualified as everyone else. I just don't see a good way to get there.
The stories people tell and the way that they portray groups of people is extremely important, as stories can reinforce stereotypes. I have always viewed STEM as the area I wanted to study. Since an early age, I have liked making things and solving puzzles. STEM, for me, was the obvious extension of this. I don't know that I can say that there is a specific story or stereotype that influenced my view of STEM. Since both my parents are medical doctors, I did hear a lot of stories about things that happened at the hospital and the lives that were saved. I guess all those stories reinforced the idea in my head that the STEM fields were a way that I could meaningfully contribute to society. Obviously you don't have to be in a STEM field to make meaningful contributions, but it seemed the most likely vehicle for me.
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