The Status of Women and Minorities in Physics at MIT:
A Look at the Last 35 Years
Laura A. Lopez
MIT Center for Space Research
Introduction
As one of the United States’ most prominent technical schools, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology has strived
to improve the status of women and underrepresented minorities in science, engineering, and technology. Throughout its history,
MIT has undertaken numerous initiatives and policies to promote typically disadvantaged groups in these fields. Aware of the
benefits of diversity, MIT consistently based admissions on merit and potential rather than gender and race. With this belief,
MIT accepted its first female student in 1871, and its first African−American student in 1889. The first black woman attended
MIT in 1905, the first African−American faculty member was hired in 1955, and in 1963, Prof. Emily Wick ’51 became the
first woman to receive tenure.
In 1968, MIT began a massive campaign to increase numbers of female and underrepresented minority students.
Working with student organizations, MIT addressed the recruitment, admissions, and retention of women and certain ethnic
groups. The results of this initiative are evident in the demographic trends in every department, including physics. I present
the data from the last thirty−five years as a means to assess the status of women and underrepresented minority students in
physics at MIT.
Undergraduate Data
Graduate Data
Minority Data
Ratio of Females to Total Graduate Students in Physics by Year
Ratio of Females to Total Undergraduates in Physics by Year
Trends in Minority Representation in Graduate Study at MIT by Year
14
40
5.5
35
5
Percent Underrepresented Minorities
12
30
Percent Female
Percent Female
10
25
20
15
8
6
10
4.5
4
3.5
4
3
5
0
1965
1970
1975
1980
1985
1990
1995
2000
2
1965
2005
1970
1975
1980
2005
1975
1980
1985
1990
1995
2000
Academic Year
Figure 5: A plot of the total minority graduate population
at MIT. Increased efforts to recruit and retain minorities caused
rises in these numbers. However, overall, recent declines have
occurred, producing numbers about equal to those of the
mid−1970s. Minorities represented are African−Americans,
Hispanic−Americans, and Native−Americans.
Comparing Trends in Female and Total Student Population − Graduate
15
10
5
1970
1975
1980
1985
1990
1995
2000
8
6
4
0
1965
2005
Ratio of Minorities to Total Graduate Students in Physics by Year
8
2
7
1970
1975
1980
1985
1990
1995
2000
2005
Academic Year
Academic Year
20
Percent Physics Students
10
15
10
5
1970
1975
1980
1985
1990
1995
2000
2005
Academic Year
Figure 2: The top graph shows the percentage of females
majoring in physics at MIT; the bottom graph shows the
percentage of all undergraduates majoring in physics. Both
plots show a gradual decrease in numbers, but the female
representation more sharply declines during the late 60s
and early 70s.
9
8
7
6
6
5
4
3
2
5
4
1965
Percent Underrepresented Minorities
Percent Physics Students
Percent Physics Majors
2000
10
20
Percent Physics Majors
1995
Figure 3: A plot in the trends in female representation in
graduate physics. The increase in females is not as prevelant
as the change in the undergraduate representation. Initiatives
by the Dean for Student Affairs and the Graduate School
assisted in the improvement of these numbers.
Comparing Trends in Females and Total Student Population − Undergraduate
0
1965
1990
Academic Year
Academic Year
Figure 1: A plot in the trends in female representation in
undergraduate physics. Despite some variation year to year,
an overall increase in numbers of women has occurred. The
sharp rise in the last three years may be attributed to the new
’8B’ option with relaxed physics requirements to facilitate
interdisciplinary study.
0
1965
1985
2.5
1970
1970
1975
1980
1985
1990
1995
2000
2005
Academic Year
Figure 4: The top graph shows the percentage of female
graduate students in physics at MIT; the bottom graph shows
the percentage of all graduate students in physics. Both plots
convey an initial decline in numbers, but the total student
population has a drastic increase in the last ten years, while
the female representation has remained constant.
1
1990
1992
1994
1996
1998
2000
2002
2004
Academic Year
Figure 6: A plot of the trends in percentages of minority
graduate students in physics at MIT. Currently, representation
is at its lowest point in the last ten years. Minorities
included are African−Americans, Hispanic−Americans,
and Native Americans.
Conclusion
Through careful examination of the data from the last thirty−five years, it is evident that the status of women in physics at
at MIT has improved. The numbers for graduate students show a gradual increase of 7% since 1968, while the percentages for
undergrads convey a sharper rise, from 5% to 35%. Dramatic improvement occurred with the creation of 8B: the new physics major
with flexibility to facilitate interdisciplinary study. The trends of females in physics, both at the undergraduate and graduate level, do
not match the trends of the total students in physics as shown in Figures 2 and 4. This result may indicate that females are changing
to other fields at a higher rate than the collective student body. Females are more prevelant in undergraduate physics than in graduate
study of the field, implying that only a small number of females pursue doctoral degrees after receiving their bachelors. Thus,
campaigns should continue to increase numbers in undergraduate study and to encourage furthur study after college.
Data was unavailable before the early 1990s on the representation of minorities in the physics department. From the
limited numbers shown in Figures 5 and 6, it appears that minorities have not improved their status at all. Despite increases in the
mid−1970s and mid−1990s, representation has decreased to a record low. Presently, only three underrepresented minorities are
pursuing graduate degrees in physics at MIT (or 1% of the department). This result could be due to statistical fluctuation.
Nonetheless, MIT, and specifically the physics department, should address this issue and focus on recruitment and retention of
African−Americans, Hispanic−Americans, and Native Americans.