Women and Science
Instructors: Dr. Nilhan Gunasekera, Department of Chemistry and Dr. Holly Hassel,
Departments of English and Women’s Studies
UW-Marathon County and UW-Rock County
Fall 2005
Contact information
Nilhan Gunasekera
Office: 120 Williams Hall, UW-Rock County
Phone: 608-758-6569 (o)
Email: ngunasek@uwc.edu
Holly Hassel
Office: Room 340, UW-Marathon County
Phone: 842-0995 (h) and 261-6265 (o)
Email: hhassel@uwc.edu
Welcome to Women’s Studies 260, Women and Science! We are delighted that you will be joining us
for the first offering of this new course in the UW Colleges.
Course Description (SS/IS) Women and Science will take a three-pronged approach to its subject:
the history of women in science, their contributions to various fields, and current obstacles women
face in scientific fields; how scientific disciplines have constructed gender and studied women and
feminist critiques of science; and recommendations for change, to encourage the participation in and
representation of women in science.
Course Learning Goals
Become aware of the gender disparities in participation in the sciences
Understand how women view and are viewed by the sciences, and the historic consequences of
these views over time
Critique the assumptions underlying traditional research methods and to identify potential sources of
gender bias in scientific research designs
Value research as a tool for identifying sources of problems
Develop the ability to pursue and effect positive changes in their own lives and in science fields
Course Teaching Objectives
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To provide an overview of the contributions of women scientists (both historical and
contemporary) in the Natural Sciences
To survey the participation of women in science using analysis of research data
To provide an understanding of how women view, and are viewed, by the sciences.
To examine the assumptions underlying traditional research methods and to identify potential
sources of gender bias in scientific research design.
To relate the issue of gender bias to other forms of minority bias in research.
To create a classroom environment in which the experiences of women and men are validated
by incorporating gender-inclusive alternative teaching methods that emphasize cooperative
learning, group discussion and critical analysis.
Materials
 Feminism and Science Edited by Nancy Tuana
 Re-Engineering Female Friendly Science (Athene Series (Paper) by Sue Vilhauer Rosser
 Assorted articles and handouts available on PDF in our course D2L Site
Requirements
 Midterm and Final Exam: (20% each): Our midterm and final exams will have short answer
questions about the readings, lectures, and discussions as well as short essays.
 Final Project (20%): A detailed handout will provide you with more information about this
project, but your Action Research project will involve significant involvement in an out-of-class
activity related to the course content.
 Participation in Online discussion (20%): Each week prior to attending class you will be
required to post at least two, well-developed responses to prompts on our course D2L website.
 Citizenship (10%): Citizenship means being present in class as well as being active,
engaged, and thinking. Students who earn high grades for citizenship typically miss few if any
class periods (especially in a compressed course like ours where we only meet once per
week), always come prepared with reading completed and notes and questions on the day’s
topics, participate actively in discussions, contributing thoughtful questions and comments,
and generally approach new ideas with an open mind and intellect.
 Weekly Preparatory Assignments (10%): This grade includes short research and writing
assignments that students will complete most weeks.
Policies and Procedures
Grades:
Grades are equal to the following percentages:
97-100 A+
93-96 A
90-92 A87-89 B+
83-86 B
80-82 B77-79 C+
73-76 C
70-72 C67-69 D+
63-66 D
60-62 D59 and below F
Attendance: Because our course is heavily based on discussion and in-class participation,
attendance at every class meeting is crucial. Our once a week meeting scheduled makes attendance
at every class even more important. Missing more than one class period will adversely affect your
citizenship and participation grades.
Classroom Environment and Structure: Our class operates under feminist pedagogy—the idea that
our classroom is a community to which we each have something to contribute. As such, student
contributions are essential and our class is set up to support them. Class periods will typically involve
small and large group discussions, short lectures from the professors, in-class activities and
application of the ideas, guest speakers, in-class writing, and one or two videos.
Study Partners: Early in the semester, we will set up study partnerships. Your partner will be
responsible for providing detailed notes and handouts for you if you are absent, but it is your
responsibility to contact your partner if you are absent. He or she will just gather handouts and take
notes for you. List the contact information below.
Partner Name ________________
Backup Partner Name ____________
phone number __________________________
phone number __________________________
Academic Dishonesty: Plagiarism is a kind of academic dishonesty that involves the use of another
person’s language/words or ideas without proper citation. If you use more than four words in a row
from another source, you should put quotation marks around them. If you borrow an idea from a
published source, you need to use parenthetical documentation to give proper credit to that source.
Any quote, paraphrase, or indirect quote must be cited appropriately. The consequences of plagiarism
are spelled out in the Student Rights and Regulations handbook. For the purposes of this course,
deliberate misuse of language or ideas will result in, at the least, failure of the assignment or paper,
and possibly failure of the course with referral of the student to a disciplinary committee for further
action by the university.
Policy on Late Work: Late work will not be accepted without a grade deduction with the exception of
one assignment, accompanied by the “Grace Period Coupon” each student should receive the first
day of class. One assignment may be turned in 24 hours late with this coupon without a grade
deduction. Late D2L posting will not be accepted, and only documented emergencies will warrant a
late midterm or final exam.
Students with Disabilities: Students who have disabilities that may impact their performance or
participation in the course should speak with the instructors about accommodations. In addition, you
should contact Students Services to develop a disabilities accommodation plan.
Assessment: Assessment is a UW Colleges-wide program which evaluates the quality and
effectiveness of the curriculum, programs and services of the institution. As part of this, selected
student assignments or activities in this course may be assessed for the following analytical: interpret
and synthesize information and ideas. The analytical skill assessment will be part of a regular
homework or in-class assignment but the assessment is not a “grade” and does not become part of
your transcript. Assessment evaluations are compiled and used solely to evaluate teaching
effectiveness.
Policy:
Ideally, this syllabus would cover every contingency of every possibility that might arise in the course
of the semester. Of course, reality dictates that will not be the case. Thus, we reserve the right to
make changes to this syllabus as the need arises.
Schedule
Reading is Due on the Date Listed
Unit 1: Taking Stock
September 12
 Academic Autobiography—in-class writing assignment
 Introductions to course and to each other
 Syllabus Activity
 Classroom culture
 What are institutions?
 Lecture/Discussion Guidelines
September 19
 Listen Online: National Public Radio’s “Talk of the Nation” Feature story on Women in
Science: Climbing the Career Ladder:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4817270
 Read: National Science Foundation’s Status Reports on Women, Minorities, and Persons with
Disabilities in Science
o 2004: http://www.nsf.gov/sbe/srs/wmpd/start.htm
o 2002: http://www.nsf.gov/sbe/srs/nsf03312/start.htm
o 2000: http://www.nsf.gov/sbe/srs/nsf00327/start.htm
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Read: Enhancing the Diversity of the Science and Engineering Work force to Sustain
America ’s Leadership in the 21st Century
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http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2001/ceose2000summ/ceose2000summ.pdf
D2L Prompts: Which groups are under and over represented in the science workforce? How
has their representation changed in the new millennium? What can be said about women’s
academic achievements? Which kind of science jobs are women more likely to be found in?
How do women in science compare to men in terms of salary & compensation?
Panel Speakers: Prof. Kim Kostka, UW-Rock County Chemistry Department and Prof.
Charlotte Schulze-Hewett, UW-Rock County Math Department
September 26
 Read: “The Gender/Science System: Or, Is Sex to Gender as Nature is to Science?” Evelyn
Fox Keller (from F and S)
 Whiz Kids, Chicago Tribune Sunday April 18th 2004
 Additional reading assignments forthcoming
 D2L Prompts:
o Is science gendered? What is the relationship between gender and science? What
historical research has been done to prove/disprove ideas about how gender relates to
scientific ability? Is science objective? Subjective? How does either the objectivity or
the subjectivity manifest? How does the status of women in science differ from culture
to culture?
 Web Research and Writing Assignment: Do a brief internet search at a search engine of
your choice and locate information to answer these questions: Who is Lawrence (Larry)
Summers? What are his opinions about women and science? Would he agree with the
points-of-view of expressed in the above articles? Why/why not?
 Guest Speaker: Prof. Caitilyn Allen, Dept of Plant Pathology and Women's Studies
Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison
 View in Class: The Secret of Photo 51 (for discussion 10/3)
Unit 2: History of Women and Science
October 3
History of Women Scientists
 Web or Library Research and Writing Assignment: Using the provided handout as a guide,
choose one woman scientist and conduct your own research either in the library, in the online
databases, or on credible websites and answer the following questions about her:
 Read: “Hypatia’s Heritage,” from Has Feminism Changed Science? By Londa Schiebinger
(PDF file available on D2L)
 D2L Prompts:
o What were Franklin’s most important contributions to DNA research? What challenges
did Franklin face as a scientist? What did she have working for that enabled her to
pursue a career as a scientist? What did she have to sacrifice? How did informal
networks and work environment have an impact on Franklin’s career?
o In what ways have women been involved with science long before the twentieth
century?
 View in Class: The Pill PBS Special Video (for discussion 10/10)
October 10
History of Science and Women
 Read: Two chapters from For Her Own Good: Two Centuries of the Experts Advice for
Women, Chapters 3 and 4 (available on PDF on the Course D2L Website)
 Read: “The Premenstrual Syndrome: ‘Dis-easing’ the Female Cycle.” (from F and S)
 Read: “The Weaker Seed: The Sexist Bias of Reproductive Theory.” (in F and S)
 D2L Prompts:
o What institutions had an impact on the development of the pill? That is, how does the
research and development of the oral contraceptive illustrate the feminist mantra “the
personal is political”?
o What critiques does Zita make of scientific research on pre-menstrual syndrome? Do a
web search on PMS. Analyze the results you find—what are the current medical
theories about pre-menstrual syndrome (PMS)? PMDD (pre-menstrual dysphoric
disorder)?
o Using Tuana’s history of reproductive theories from Aristotle to the eighteenth century,
provide examples of the way that values and gender ideologies influenced scientific
theories.
October 17:
 Review Final Project Requirements
 Midterm Exam
Unit 3: Theoretical Perspectives
October 24
A History of Feminism and Science
 Read: “Feminist Critiques of Science as Usual.” Chapter 5 in Rosser, “Applying Feminist
Theory to Women and Science Programs.” Chapter 6 in Rosser
 Read: “Frequently Asked Questions about Feminist Science Studies” (PDF available on D2L
site), Association of American Colleges and Universities
 D2L Prompts:
o Choose two of the strands of feminist theory Rosser describes in Chapter 5 (liberal,
socialist, womanist/ethnic, essentialist, existentialist, psychoanalytic, radical,
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postmodern) and compare and contrast them (that is, explain the similarities and
differences).
o Choose one of the feminist theoretical approaches described by Rosser and provide an
example of a specific practice of promoting women in science that illustrates it, as
Rosser does in Chapter 6.
o What other questions would you ask about feminist science? Which questions remain
unanswered for you after reading the AACU statement?
Power Point Lecture: History of Feminism in the US
October 31
Feminist Critiques of Science
 Final Project Proposal Due
 Read: “Is There a Feminist Method?” Sandra Harding (from F and S) and “Can There Be a
Feminist Science?” Helen Longino (from F and S)
 Read: “Feminist Theory in Science: Working Toward a Practical Transformation,” from
Hypatia, by Deboleena Roy (PDF available on D2L site)
 D2L Prompts
o How does Longino distinguish between feminist science and doing science as a
feminist? Agree or disagree with her statement on page 54: “If we recognize, however,
that knowledge is shaped by the assumptions, values, and interests of a culture and
that, within limits, one can choose one’s culture, then it’s clear that as
scientists/theorists we have a choice. We can continue to do establishment science,
comfortably wrapped in the myths of scientific rhetoric or we can alter our intellectual
allegiances. While remaining committed to an abstract goal of understanding, we can
choose to whom, socially and politically, we are accountable in our pursuit of that goal”
(54).
o 1. Paraphrase the distinction Harding makes between methods and methodologies. 2.
What are feminist epistemologies and how do they arise from problems arising in
scientific research? 3. What do feminist researchers do, according to Harding, that
differentiates them from nonfeminist researchers?
o What difficulties does Roy face in doing science as a feminist? How does she critique
Longino’s arguments?
November 7
Feminist Scientists?
 Read: "Point of View: Are Feminists Alienating Women from the sciences?"--Noretta Koertge
(handout)
o http://chronicle.com/prm/che-data/articles.dir/articles-41.dir/issue-03.dir/03a08001.htm
 Read: “The Relationship between Women’s Studies and Women in Science,” by Sue Rosser,
from Feminist Approaches to Science (PDF available on D2L site)
 D2L Prompts
o Why might feminism seem an unsuitable theoretical position from some women
scientists? What challenges does it pose to scientific study and methods?
Unit 4: Pedagogy and Looking Forward
November 14
 Read: Executive Summary of the NSF 2002 Report on Women, Minorities, and Persons with
Disabilities in Science and Engineering (on D2L)
 Read: Excerpts from “Balancing the Equation” (on D2L)
 D2L prompts:
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What are the Challenges identified as New Concerns in the NSF Report of 2002?
 what are some specific actions that address these challenges?
What specific problems have been identified with math and science education in the K12 years?
Give some specific examples of reforms on K-12 education aimed at increasing girls
success in STEM
November 21
 Read: Chapter 3, 7 (Rosser)
 Read: Excerpts from “Balancing the Equation” (on D2L)
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D2L prompts:
o How is the way STEM is taught at the college and graduate level impacting women
students?
o What is the Clare Booth Luce scholarship? What impact has it had over the years?
o Give at least 2 specific examples of reforms on in undergraduate and graduate college
education aimed at increasing women’s success in STEM
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Web or Library Research and Writing Assignment: your task is to educate the class on at
least 2 of the following programs. Your description has to be complete with who’s
organizing/funding the program, the objectives of the program, example activities of the
program, the documented results and how it fits in with the issues on Women and Science that
we have been discussing in class:
 MentorNet
 UW System Women and Science Program
 The NSF ADVANCE program
 Women = Prosperity program
 The CIRTL program
November 28
 Read: Chapter 1, 8 (Rosser)
 D2L prompts
o What impact do university administrators have in reforming undergraduate and
graduate education? Give specific examples.
o What impact do state and federal congress people and senators have on
undergraduate and graduate education? Give specific examples
o What role do you have or can you play in effecting change to address the challenges
identified by women in STEM? Give at least 2 specific examples
December 5
 Final Presentations of Action Research Projects
December 12
 Review/Final Exam