Different World Views: STEM Students and Student Affairs

You know it's not going to be business as usual when 10 students want to form a club to build a full-scale airplane and fly it to the Experimental Aircraft Association's annual convention in Wisconsin. That's just what happened to Jennifer Wegner, assistant director of student affairs in the College of Engineering at the University of Michigan. What would be an off-the-charts request for most student affairs professionals was just another day in the life of a student affairs professional working at a STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) school. “I was worried about finding them space on campus, and talking to someone in risk management,” she said. Wegner's role at a STEM school is a bit like being a tourist in a foreign land. When gender is factored in, not only is the language a barrier, so is the whole world view. Wegner and Christy Anthony, director of the office of student citizenship at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, share similar experiences. They spoke about their work with STEM students and the issues women in the fields face at the NASPA conference for student affairs administrators held in Orlando FL in March 2013. To prepare for NASPA, Wegner and Anthony conducted an informal survey of 223 of their peers. They found that student affairs professionals working for the “top 10 STEM institutions” are more likely to have a social science background (40 to 60%) than a technical one (4 to 12%). Top STEM schools have a better gender balance among their students than most schools. Admissions committees intentionally build a diverse class rather than just accept those who meet admissions criteria. What defines a STEM school? ABET (formerly the Accrediting Board of Engineering and Technology), requires STEM undergraduates to meet a certain set of criteria including the ability to communicate effectively and to function on multidisciplinary teams. This is needed because STEM students are known to exhibit a unique set of characteristics. They tend to strip aside emotions and go straight for the logic. Males in STEM are more likely to exhibit the Asperger's spectrum of behaviors, characterized by an intense focus on one area and social awkwardness. It challenges their female peers, who may try to build relationships, but allows them to fit in at schools with a higher tolerance of it. Recognizing this, many of the schools have started programs such as the Engineering Plus philosophy at Michigan. “Students will become lifelong learners and leaders who work outside their comfort zone and be empowered to make a difference,” said Wegner. While the Michigan students need technical depth, they must also fulfill six core competencies: creativity and innovation, entrepreneurial mindset, intercultural intelligence, collaborative spirit, social and environmental responsibility and effective communication. Social awkwardness is also prevalent among STEM faculty members, who often head departments related to student affairs. Anthony is the only woman at MIT on a faculty-led committee for student discipline cases. Social pleasantries are replaced by a more structured communications style on the committee. To paraphrase Peter Lake, a national authority on higher education law: Science and technology will save us from our huge problems. But if you can't talk with human beings, it won't work. Communication styles are both the problem and the solution when trying to connect with those in STEM. Instead of asking her students what they did on spring break or over the weekend, Anthony asks them about their research, their start-up companies or their designs. “I do think faculty and students look to build relationships, but they do it in different ways,” she said. Anthony earns her credibility by contextualizing her questions in the form of research and applications, demonstrating her competence in her field. In her previous position at a women's college, Wegner communicated using the language of social justice. Working with STEM students and faculty, she talks about social change and the impact on end users and customers. An emphasis on developing leadership skills is couched in the term “professional” rather than “soft” skills. Wegner reminds her students that she thinks about the world in a similar way: wanting to solve problems and develop solutions. “I tell them that I care about the same things they do,” she said. Most STEM schools are organized around a dominant male culture, down to male-focused clubs and organizations such as the autonomous robot competition club at MIT, the solar car team at Michigan and the Mars Society at Georgia Tech. Both Cornell University and MIT host clubs devoted to the physics and chemistry of chocolate and confections. In that male culture, women students struggle to find role models among faculty and administrators. When they approach the male students from a “connectedness” perspective, they often get the cold shoulder: The men just want to get the work done. So they look for that connectedness in female-controlled co-curricular groups, something that might be challenged at another school. At Michigan, women students have learned to live in a more masculine structure, finding other outlets such as social sororities. “Some of our women students compartmentalize, which is a bit worrisome,” said Wegner. Participants listed stereotypes of STEM students: Mostly male, often with Asperger's syndrome The ultimate nerds, boring and socially awkward Unlikely to join in extracurricular activities The first to get jobs and likely to earn high salaries Super smart with high IQs but lack common sense Often have mental health issues Analytical, hardworking, goal-oriented and excited about their work. Both agree that STEM women need spaces to come together. Recognizing the challenges of being a woman in this field, they respect their female students’ needs for space apart from their male peers. The most popular engineering majors at Michigan for women have a strong female presence, either among the faculty or in other leadership positions. The presence of more women equals less attrition and ultimately more graduates to fill those leadership positions at other schools. To retain more women in STEM, they suggest: Learn to speak the language and be interested in their research. They replace the traditional ice breakers in the student affairs professional's toolbox with supplies to build marshmallow towers. Orient the work toward problem solving and focus on strengths. “I don't think student affairs professionals should feel any need to give up their identity or expertise when working at a STEM institution,” said Anthony. Emphasize the importance of team-learning in STEM, reminding students that in order to get research grants, they must be able to work in teams. Applications for NIH grants must include outreach. Focus on the real world application of knowledge. Challenge the complexity of any group. Push students to think more broadly. Show STEM women that there are multiple ways of working in various fields. Women tend to show their interest in engineering later and with less intensity than males. Student affairs professionals can make that okay, and show them how to help minimize competition and normalize women in the field. Getting and keeping more women in STEM fields is more than a national and economic priority. It is also a moral imperative if society is to be the best that it can be for both genders. Wegner: jwegner@umich.edu or 734.647.7155 Anthony: ceanth@mit.edu or 617.253.0193