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Peer-reviewed article

Who Wants to Have a Career in Science or Math? Exploring Adolescents' Future Aspirations by Gender and Race/Ethnicity

May 1, 2011 | Informal/Formal Connections

Our study utilizes data from a national cohort of eighth-grade students to consider how different gender and racial/ethnic subgroups compare to White males in their likelihood to aspire toward a science or math occupation and examine the roles that self-concept, enjoyment, and achievement may play in shaping disparities at this early point in occupational trajectories. We find that the importance of enjoyment, self-concept, and achievement in explaining disparities in science career aspirations relative to White males varies according to the female subgroup considered, such that no singular story applies to females across different racial/ethnic backgrounds. For math, White and Hispanic females remain approximately half as likely as White males to aspire to a math occupation regardless of all indicators we consider. Finally, Black and Hispanic adolescent boys have generally comparable aspirations toward future careers in science and math as their White male peers, despite notably large differences in achievement. We discuss implications of our results for future research on equity.

TEAM MEMBERS

  • Catherine Riegle-Crumb
    Author
    University of Texas
  • Chelsea Moore
    Author
    University of Texas
  • Aida Ramos-Wada
    Author
    University of Texas
  • Citation

    DOI : 10.1002/sce.20431
    ISSN : 0036-8326
    Publication Name: Science Education
    Volume: 95
    Number: 3
    Page Number: 458
    Resource Type: Research Products
    Discipline: Education and learning science | General STEM | Mathematics
    Audience: Middle School Children (11-13)
    Environment Type: Informal/Formal Connections | K-12 Programs
    Access and Inclusion: Ethnic/Racial | Black/African American Communities | Hispanic/Latinx Communities | Women and Girls

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