1. Space Ambassador – TOP TIPS!!
Space Ambassador – TOP TIPS!!
Clare Warren

2. There’s a problem! 40,000 annual shortfall of STEM skilled workers
BME men are 28% less likely to work in STEM than white men.
9% of those in non-medical STEM careers are women
Improving Diversity in STEM: A report by the Campaign for Science and Engineering (CaSE) (2014)

3. There’s a problem!
“A more diverse science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) workforce is not simply desirable in terms of equality, but necessary if we are to maximise individual opportunity and meet economic need.”
Improving Diversity in STEM: A report by the Campaign for Science and Engineering (CaSE) (2014)

4. Children enjoy science But they don’t aspire to become scientists
ASPIRES: Young people’s science and careers aspirations, age 10-14
King’s College London

5. Children enjoy science But they don’t aspire to become scientists
ASPIRES: Young people’s science and careers aspirations, age 10-14
King’s College London

6. Science Capital
“ a key factor affecting the likelihood of a student aspiring to a science-related career by the age of 14 is the amount of ‘science capital’ a family has. Science capital refers to science-related qualifications, understanding, knowledge (about science and ‘how it works’), interest and social contacts (e.g. knowing someone who works in a science-related job).” ASPIRES: Young people’s science and careers aspirations, age King’s College London

7. Science Capital
Science capital is unevenly spread across societal groups.
Those with higher levels of science capital tend to be middle-class – although this is not always the case
Students from families with medium or high science capital are more likely to aspire to science and STEM-related careers and are more likely to plan to study science post-16.
Longitudinal tracking showed that students with low science capital who do not express STEM related aspirations at age 10 are unlikely to develop STEM aspirations by the age of 14.
ASPIRES: Young people’s science and careers aspirations, age King’s College London

8. Most and least likely! A student is
most likely to express science aspirations if he is male, Asian, has high/very high levels of cultural capital, is in the top set for science and has a family member who works in science or a STEM-related job.
least likely to see science as ‘for me’ if she is female, White, has low/very low levels of cultural capital, is in the bottom set and does not have any family members who use science in their jobs
Girls who define themselves as ‘girly’ are particularly unlikely to aspire to a career in science
ASPIRES: Young people’s science and careers aspirations, age 10-14
King’s College London

9. Messages for policy and practice!
Shift policy discourse from ‘increasing interest’ to ‘building science capital’
Earlier intervention – from primary school
Break the ‘science = scientist link’
Embed STEM careers awareness in science lessons
Tackle multiple inequalities
Target resources at disadvantaged students
Challenge unwitting biases
Bust the ‘brainy’ image of science/science careers
Broaden post-16 science options
Build science capital with students and families
ASPIRES: Young people’s science and careers aspirations, age 10-14
King’s College London

10. Unconscious bias Go to www.menti.com and use the code 98 44 79
Tests for unconscious bias

11. Unconscious bias

12. Unconscious bias

13. Messages for policy and practice!
Senior gender champion
Training
Gender awareness and unconscious bias
Sexist language
Use of progression data
Initiatives eg role models
Subject equity
Teachers refrain from making remarks about how difficult particular subject are
Careers guidance
Student ownership
Personal, social, health and economic education
Opening Doors: A guide to good practice in countering gender stereotyping in schools Institute of Physics (2015)
Opening Doors: A guide to good practice in countering gender stereotyping in schools
Institute of Physics (2015)

14. Think Physics Approach

15. What can Space Ambassadors do?

16. Any questions? Clare Warren c.warren4@herts.ac.uk
Any questions?
Clare Warren