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10 Jan 2011 12:12:15
A research report has been launched looking at the representation of women in science, engineering and technology in the online media.
Dr Marie-Pierre Moreau, a Senior Research Fellow in the Department of Education Studies at the University of Bedfordshire, was working alongside Dr Heather Mendick, a senior lecturer in the Department of Educational Studies at Goldsmiths, University of London.
The pair produced the report, funded by the UKRC, which shows how women working in these areas are not well represented in online content. It used data collection and analysis from websites, web authors and young web users.
Researchers monitored content for women in science, engineering and technology across 16 websites, using general news sites such as the BBC, The Daily Mail and The Guardian, and science-specific sites such as New Scientist, The Science Museum and Neuroskeptic Blog.
They interviewed six web authors involved in these sites and carried out six group interviews with a total of 32 young web users aged 16-28. Their key findings show the content was dominated by men, and when women were featured, it was usually a picture of an anonymous woman, or women being used as science journalists reporting someone else’s work.
Research also showed women were usually put into sections of websites dedicated to women or confined to ‘feminine’ activities such as caring or showing empathy with children and animals.
Dr Mendick and Dr Moreau said: “Online science, engineering and technology women are predominantly white, middle-class, able-bodied and heterosexual. They are usually peripheral to the main story and in subordinate positions as students, young scientists and relatives of male scientists. They are less likely than men to take an active role, such as conducting an experiment.”
The research was featured at a launch event at the Institute of Physics in London in early December when discussions of the work took place.
For further details, visit here.
Latest news» 2011» January» Research report highlights key issues
