Would this attract you to science? If you were a teenager?
Hi friends of women in science,
I've received links to the European women in science recruiting video from a number of people, but I'll give credit to Rachel Levin and Nancy Hamlett, who sent it to me first. So the question is this: Suppose your job is to design and film a videotape to recruit more young women into science. What would it be like? Think about that first for a few minutes. Then go here and see what they actually came up with. "Science: It's a girl thing." If you want to compare your reaction with that of others, try the Salon article here.
I can see one aspect of the video myself. It's that today's girls interesting in science don't want to be nerds. BUT are spike heels and an ogling man what they DO want? New outfits every five minutes? Analysis of lipstick (okay, I realize L'Oreal is important and helps women, but how many women in STEM fields are employed there compared to medical research places?) This resonates with the Barbies that are computer engineers, etc, for me. Not where I would go, but maybe these people know things I don't know about today's teenagers.
The theme I think this video misses, nevermind the things it includes that I don't particularly find enticing, is helping out people through use of science/math/engineering. These fields ARE used for those purposes, after all, why keep it a secret? There's nothing about that in this style-conscious flick, though.
So let me know what you think in the comments.
cheers,
Laura
Sorry to resurrect an old thread, but the European Science Foundation, together with Curt Rice came together to form a contest to create a better version of this video, with the same aim of encouraging young women to enter scientific careers. The winning entries will be screened at the European Gender Summit next week.
A friend and I created a video for this contest and hope to win. To see the video click here: http://bit.ly/UaGbnt
To view all the competition entries, click here: http://bit.ly/QTIf3U
Now, I think ours is the best - but I may be a little biased... What do you think of it? Do you think crowdsourcing the new video was a good idea? And What do you think of the general quality of entries? Do they reflect prevailing stereotypes or not?
I'd be really interested to hear your thoughts.
PS: I *love* the Bad Project video, and have mentioned it to all the postdocs in my Responsible Research course!
I find all the above comments interesting. (Laura, have you really written a novel? where available?) I kind of like it that the video was pulled within 30min because of the furor of objection. What a great, speedy response! This gives more (positive, I think, in the end) attention to science careers for women than anyone could have hoped for...
Following one of the links in the Salon piece I found reference to a good article: Q&A in ScienceCareers with Kurt Rice, one of the panel of experts whose expert advice to the group that made the video was apparently ignored.
I think the last Question addressed to young women is especially important...
http://sciencecareers.sciencemag.org/career_magazine/previous_issues/articles/2012_06_22/caredit.a1200071
Hi Susan and Califa,
Well, it's nice to know women in science aren't in lock step! I feel more like the Salon article myself, but I'm not sure I'm a fair sample for teenaged tastes.
I do like the Bad Project video, but am sad because my novel is called The Bad Project and is a completely different take on what that might mean...i.e. a project to learn to be bad. But that video rocks.
best,
Laura
I'm with the Salon article. I find it demeaning to imply that all women care about is stereotypical behaviors and appearances. "As it says, If you really want to face, head on, the obstacles that females face in any number of professions, then you need to stop acting like the problem is that girls just need everything fed to them on a glitter-daubed pink spoon. You need to acknowledge the blazing, often dangerous sexism they encounter when they venture into the macho realms of video games or sports or technology or the military. You need to grasp that the barrier here isn’t that they’re afraid of chipping their manicures. And you could understand that if you want to help girls bloom, you could start by not insulting their intelligence."
Now, one of the funniest videos about women in science is the incomparable Lady Gaga parody, "Bad Project".
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fl4L4M8m4d0
Hi Laura,
What's wrong with style? Women who are scientists come in all flavors, and some of us DO like high style. Don't knock it. I don't think it would work for all the teen girls I know, though. I'm not saying that. Some would be attracted.
CR
