Investigation of Gender Bias among Students and Faculty at a Small, Private STEM College

Current research on gender bias in STEM education indicates that non-male students are more likely to experience unfavorable gendered biases from their peers and faculty than male students. Much of this research primarily focuses on large, research institutions or data from national surveys. The intent of this research is to study gender bias, the perception of it among students, and its manifestations among students and faculty, in the context of a small, private STEM college. Additionally, this study examines possible strategies to minimize students’ experiences with gender bias. Research was conducted at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology (RHIT) during the 2017-2018 academic year. It was hypothesized that non-male students would perceive gender bias at a heightened rate, compared to their male counterparts, and that student and faculty biases would favor male students. Results from this study indicate that non-male RHIT students are prone to perceiving gender bias at a significantly higher rate than their male peers, but could not conclusively assess the behaviors of students and faculty members. This study examines a niche area within STEM education, and, while it does address a gap in the literature, its implications may only be relevant for institutions with similar profiles to RHIT. These findings should enable RHIT and similar institutions to make informed modifications to their practices to foster a more inclusive educational environment