ABSTRACT
For several years I have pondered a puzzle, well known to educators and scientists alike, which has some pieces clearly in place. Those pieces, labeled role models, ability, relevance, interest, anxiety and careers, only partially complete the puzzle. They only partially answer the questions: Why do so few girls enrol in optional science courses and elect scientific and technological careers? Why do women, compared with men, in scientific and technological jobs have lower rates of success and promotion? Recently, I have begun to collect other pieces of the puzzle which may allow us to complete it. The new pieces, gathered from international projects, research, and perspectives, are labeled: skills, image, experience, stereotypes, and instructional style. Along with others, I began to focus on the popular image of science, to analyze it, and to examine its effect on girls in school and on women in science.
