Making a Difference: Ethnic Diversity in Physics
DOI: 10.1063/1.881502
For years now, it seems, the physics community has talked about the need to increase the number of African Americans, Hispanics and Native Americans within its ranks, and both money and effort have been spent to achieve that goal. As measured by standardized test scores, there is evidence that we have had some success in improving the overall quality of science education for minorities. The number of minority students who enter college intending to major in science has also increased. However, there has been no significant corresponding rise in the number of physics BS or PhD degrees earned by minorities.
This article is only available in PDF format
References
1. T. Cross, R. Slater, D. Hoffman, J. Blacks, in Higher Education 7, 53 (1995).
2. P. J. Mulvey, E. Dodge, 1995 Enrollments and Degrees Report, AIP, College Park, Md. (1996).
3. American Institute of Physics, special tabulations from the NSF Survey of Earned Doctorates, unpublished data.
4. L. E. Suter, ed., Indicators of Science and Mathematics Education 1992, NSF, Washington, DC (1993), p. 163.
5. M. Neuschatz, L. Alpert, Overcoming Inertia: High School Physics in the 1990s, AIP, College Park, Md. (1995), p. 21.
6. National Center for Education Statistics, High School and Beyond: 1980 Sophomore and Senior Cohort Follow‐Up Studies, US Department of Education, Washington, DC (1986).
7. National Science Board, Science and Engineering Indicators—1993, US Government Printing Office, Washington, DC (1993), p. 13.
8. L. E. Suter, ed., Indicators of Science and Mathematics Education 1995, NSF, Arlington, Va. (1996), p. 85.
More about the Authors
James H. Stith. Ohio State, University.
