Exploring Gendered Experiences of Undergraduate STEM Majors at Arizona State University

Despite increased awareness and gender diversity initiatives, disciplines relating to Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) remain largely male dominant. Using Acker's Theory of Gendered Organizations (1990) and Cooley's theory of the Looking Glass Self (1902) as a theoretical model, this study uses qualitative and quantitative methods to explore the gendered experiences of undergraduate STEM majors at Arizona State University. This research uses students' perceptions of their peers, professors, and teaching assistants in relationship to (1) the degree to which a student feels they are encouraged (2) the degree to which a student feels they are included and (3) the degree to which a student feels others have confidence in their academic abilities. This study concludes that both men and women feel more encouraged by their female peers. In addition, women feel their fellow female peers have significantly more confidence in their academic abilities, whereas men feel their peers are confident in their academic abilities regardless of gender. These findings address the stigmas still present in STEM disciplines and emphasize changes to make to weaken gender stereotypes that contribute to the lack of diversification in STEM fields.