Discover
/
Article

Making a Difference: Ethnic Diversity in Physics

JUL 01, 1996
If we are to overcome the major obstacles to science education for all, it will require the dedicated efforts of the entire science community.

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.

References

  1. 1. T. Cross, R. Slater, D. Hoffman, J. Blacks, in Higher Education 7, 53 (1995).

  2. 2. P. J. Mulvey, E. Dodge, 1995 Enrollments and Degrees Report, AIP, College Park, Md. (1996).

  3. 3. American Institute of Physics, special tabulations from the NSF Survey of Earned Doctorates, unpublished data.

  4. 4. L. E. Suter, ed., Indicators of Science and Mathematics Education 1992, NSF, Washington, DC (1993), p. 163.

  5. 5. M. Neuschatz, L. Alpert, Overcoming Inertia: High School Physics in the 1990s, AIP, College Park, Md. (1995), p. 21.

  6. 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. 7. National Science Board, Science and Engineering Indicators—1993, US Government Printing Office, Washington, DC (1993), p. 13.

  8. 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.

In These Collections
This Content Appeared In
pt-cover_1996_07.jpeg

Volume 49, Number 7

Related content
/
Article
Technical knowledge and skills are only some of the considerations that managers have when hiring physical scientists. Soft skills, in particular communication, are also high on the list.
/
Article
Professional societies can foster a sense of belonging and offer early-career scientists opportunities to give back to their community.
/
Article
Research exchanges between US and Soviet scientists during the second half of the 20th century may be instructive for navigating today’s debates on scientific collaboration.
/
Article
The Eisenhower administration dismissed the director of the National Bureau of Standards in 1953. Suspecting political interference with the agency’s research, scientists fought back—and won.
/
Article
Alternative undergraduate physics courses expand access to students and address socioeconomic barriers that prevent many of them from entering physics and engineering fields. The courses also help all students develop quantitative skills.
/
Article
Defying the often-perceived incompatibility between the two subjects, some physicists are using poetry to communicate science and to explore the human side of their work.

Get PT in your inbox

Physics Today - The Week in Physics

The Week in Physics" is likely a reference to the regular updates or summaries of new physics research, such as those found in publications like Physics Today from AIP Publishing or on news aggregators like Phys.org.

Physics Today - Table of Contents
Physics Today - Whitepapers & Webinars
By signing up you agree to allow AIP to send you email newsletters. You further agree to our privacy policy and terms of service.