Stereotypes of Scientists: Seeds of Progress and Recommendations for Elementary Teachers

Although policy makers have made gains in getting students to consider future careers in science, women and many minorities are still underrepresented in science fields. Here we describe research conducted with fifth grade students in a rural area of the southeastern U.S. that examined students' concepts of scientists' characteristics. The results showed that students still cling to stereotypical notions that scientists are White and male. However, when asked to predict from a diverse group of children who would grow up to be a scientist, students' responses revealed promising potential. We build on these fi ndings and discuss strategies that teachers can use to help students understand the diversity of people who work in science and science careers.