Science News
Girl power: Kids' drawings show changing perceptions of who can be a scientist
Over time, more women scientists are showing up in kids' drawings.
What do you want to be when you grow up?
The good news is that more young girls are envisioning the possibility of becoming a scientist. At least that's what a recent analysis concludes from data compiled over years as part of the "Draw-A-Scientist" program.
When schoolchildren were asked to draw a scientist in the 1960s and 1970s a researcher found that less than one percent depicted the scientist as a woman. A new analysis, led by David Miller of Northwestern University, shows a weakening of the stereotype of scientist as a man.
Women have made considerable inroads into science fields since the 1970s and children's drawing reflect this: 28 percent of students drew a female scientist in more recent studies. The numbers aren't staggering, but they reflect progress, nonetheless.
There's an undeniable charm to children's drawings, so we've collected a small sampling from the studies here.
(There's no mention of the prevalence of "lab cats" in these drawings, but we hope that's a trend that won't go away.)