MapCores AWomen in Mathematics, Computer Science, and Physics Course

Increasing women’s participation is a concern in disciplines beyond physics. As part of our Mathematics, Physics, Computer Science Research Scholars (MapCores) program, we teach a women in sci-ence class covering these three areas. Our course is a special version of our college’s first year seminar (FYS), which is a course designed to prepare our students to read, write, and speak at a college-level. We structure our FYS to promote academic confidence and inter-est in our disciplines for the women in MapCores. It covers not only contributions that women have made and barriers that women face in these disciplines, but also research frontiers and science pol-icy issues in these disciplines. While the women in MapCores find covering these topics beneficial, the most important benefit of the course is the supportive cohort that develops from it. 2. Background 2.1 College of Saint Benedict (CSB) is a women’s liberal arts college in St. Joseph, MN. enrollment roughly 2000 women. 70 miles northwest of Minneapolis. is partnered with Saint John’s University- enrollment roughly 1600 men. almost all courses co-educational. 2.2 Women in Physics The “pipeline is leaky ” in every step from junior high school through the senior professor level. [Freeman, 2004] Physics and other analytical majors are perceived in society as bad choices for women.[Hyde et al., 2008] Being vastly out-numbered by men in mathematics and physi-cal science classes decreases women’s confidence. [CMPWASE