Under-Represented Populations Stand-Alone Report 1 (Progress)

1995 Program Evaluation of the Women in Science Project at Dartmouth College

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FINDINGS

Qualitative Data

This section reports data from questionnaires, journals, and interviews. An interest in assessing what students felt was important guided the design of the written instruments. Most of the questions that were open-ended; instead of selecting a response, students wrote their own. This type of data collection permitted a deeper and broader range of replies than more standardized response formats, and allowed students to articulate reasons and raise unexpected points. However, it also made data coding and analysis messier. To generate the data included in this section, all students' responses to a question were reviewed and the most common themes or particularly noteworthy issues were distilled. Each theme was assigned a numerical code, the replies were reread, and the themes surfaced in each response were noted. The percentages in the qualitative section represent the percentage of survey participants whose written response to a question included the theme. Because some subset of students usually did not answer a question, and others provided multiple codable responses for a single question, the percentages rarely add up to 100%.

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A) WISP Internship

The internship experience is a powerful, unique, well-received experience that is, perhaps, the centerpiece of the WISP project. This evaluation was designed to investigate the internship in depth: What were students learning, what frustrations and triumphs were they experiencing, when and how did the experience impact their attitudes and continuation in science? The assessment not only surveyed students before and after their research experience, it also tracked them throughout their experience. This project evaluated the impact of the internship and identified the strengths and weakness for two reasons: to generate suggestions about how to improve the internship and to distill the most valuable aspects of the internship so they might inform other programming efforts. Senior and freshwomen interns ('94, '97, and '98) were asked about their internship on the written questionnaires. Interns '98 also kept an internship journal.

Internship Journal

Biweekly throughout the two terms of the internship in 1995, the evaluator e-mailed the 97 interns '98 nine open-ended reflective journal questions that focused on the following topics: (for the actual questions see Appendix C.)

1. Initial impressions.
2. Role, tasks, and responsibilities in the internship.
3. Communication in the internship.
4. Sources of stress and frustration encountered in the internship.
5. Non-scientific aspects and understandings gained from the internship.
6. Issue of women in science, math, and engineering both on a personal and institutional level.
7. "Culture" of science, math, and engineering.
8. Influence on personal views, attitudes about science and its status, confidence in scientific abilities. Comparison with college classes.
9. Review of highs and lows of the internship experience.

The journals served as an evaluation tool. However, this was only one of their roles. They also provided a place for students to describe in more depth information that they could only summarize in questionnaires. The journals were designed with the hope that they might contribute to students' internship experiences by encouraging them to reflect upon different aspects of science and scientific research. And they did. Both in the journals and the questionnaires, students commented that journal writing helped them review their experience.

All the journals from the 97 interns were read and coded. Table 2 describes the insights expressed in the journals and the number of times they were cited, the percentage of women who cited them, the number of journals in which the codes were cited, and the rank order of the journals according to the total number of times they were cited. Some of the insights were only applicable to one or two journal questions. (For instance, Journal 6 asked students to specifically talk about the issue of women in science; the responses to this question were cited only in this journal.) To take this into account, the codes that were only cited in one or two questions were identified and rank ordered.

Six major themes emerged from the interns' responses--themes that pervaded the questionnaire and interview data as well. The topics address characteristics of science and science teaching that encourage and discourage women's interest in science. Journal responses offer convincing testimony of the role an internship experience can play in helping women more accurately understand what scientific research entails, in increasing women's confidence in their scientific abilities, and in influencing women's continuation in (or in some cases, departure from) science. The following six subsections elaborate upon the interns' insights that are listed in Table 2. Because the journals stemmed directly from the internship experience, they are most relevant to this activity. However, the issues and topics freshwomen mention underlie all the WISP programs. 

1) Confidence

WISP does a great job of trying to help alleviate the sexism and the psychological constraints women in science have to confront. So many times, the difference between a woman majoring in science or in a field of the humanities is sheer lack of confidence.

In their journals, interns vividly described the impact that their research experience had on their confidence in their scientific abilities. Initially many of the interns wrote that they felt overwhelmed by their internship and the background knowledge that they lacked; however, by the end, the experience "has taken away the mystery of the lab" and convinced them that they are capable of doing science and scientific research:

When I first started working in the lab, I honestly believed that I would never be able to learn any of the techniques or even understand the big picture. But two terms later, my understanding is so much greater, and I have a lot more confidence in my abilities as a student of science.

I feel a lot more confident about my scientific abilities now. I never would have believed that I would be doing brain surgery and removing specific portions of the brain stem and doing sutures daily. I know that there is nothing that I cannot do as long as I have enough time to figure it out or good teachers. Research can be extremely intimidating, but from the inside looking out, I see how unfounded these fears of technology and science are.

For many interns, success in "real science" counterbalanced their doubts about their scientific aptitude that their "low" grades (for many women a B is considered "low") in their science courses raised and encouraged them to continue in science.

I think my confidence in my scientific abilities has increased greatly as a result of my internship … The encouragement and experience of my internship made me feel like I can make it {in the scientific world} even though I may not always feel that way as a result of my science classes.

I liked labs in my science courses although my test scores definitely did not reflect that. I learned that even though I am now having difficulties in the academic side of science in the classroom, I still love and understand the application of the theories in an actual lab setting. I think that I learn and understand much better in a hands on environment where I can see the reasons for procedures and calculations and the results have meaning. I may no longer be confident in my academic abilities, but I am much more confident in a laboratory and I realize that I can be a productive member of a scientific and even medically inclined group of people, something that has definitely kept me interested in pursuing the sciences.

The experience students gained in their internships promoted confidence that affected their coursework. Exposure to science techniques and content made them more comfortable in their classes and helped them perform better. Interns explained how actual hands-on experience helped make classes easier because it made the abstract theoretical learning more relevant.

My internship also helped me with bio lab. In one of the labs, the TA came over and asked me if I knew how to use the micropipet. I said, "Are you kidding, I get paid for doing this." hee hee I was great. I am quite confident, if not cocky about my lab abilities, not only because I took two lab sciences this past term, and in addition spent between 10-15 hours at my internship. I think I have MUCH more experience with laboratories {sic} than I came here with, and so I have more confidence.

Getting the chance to work in an orgo lab has made me feel a little bit more confident about facing Chem 51 (the dreaded organic chemistry).

Some of the concepts have overlapped [WISP and classes] too. I think it is really interesting when they do. Then I am able to see that the stuff we learn in class, which oftentimes seems rather irrelevant to the real world, really is used. My confidence in my scientific abilities has definately [sic] increased since first term. I think it is due in part to the fact that I actually understand and am doing well in my science classes. I had a hard time with chem and mate first term. But I think my internship has helped as well. By being able to actually work in a scientific environment using some of the things that I have learned and learning new things, I feel more sure of myself. I know what I am doing. I understand.

In addition to affecting students' coursework, the internship also increased their confidence in working, "with other people, and on group projects, as well as communicating with professors about problems."

A first research experience can open the door to future experiences in scientific research. Some women who had laboratory experiences in high school came to Dartmouth seeking more; the internship experience had a similar effect on many of its participants. Interns' journal responses suggest that the internship plays an important role in encouraging women to pursue future opportunities in science. Students wrote that their internship helped them develop the desire and the confidence in their science abilities to apply for summer jobs and additional lab experiences. About 60% of the '97 and '98 interns indicated that they hoped to seek another research position; a decision influenced by their internship experience.

The responsibility that the mentors gave their interns was one factor that contributed to students' increased confidence in themselves. Table 2 illustrates that women frequently wrote about the freedom and responsibility associated with their position. Interns were surprised by their mentors' trust in their abilities and the freedom that they were allowed to pursue their own ideas and make their own decisions. The confidence that the mentors displayed in the interns often rubbed off on the interns themselves. Part of the reason that women question their scientific competence and the merit of their ideas is that they have had little opportunity to exercise them. One of the factors that women cited to explain their transfer to a humanities major was a desire to "think for themselves" and express their own ideas, not only memorize facts. The internships demonstrated to women that real science, too, entails original thought. Furthermore, the fact that sponsors solicited interns' opinions and valued their input boosted students' confidence.

I feel that my advisor respects me and my abilities and gives me many responsibilities. She allows me to work totally independently, without standing over me to make sure that I do not make any mistakes. I feel like I am truly involved in research and I am learning so much!

I'm starting to give more value to my own opinions. No one can tell me exactly what I am supposed to do, so when my prof asks me what I think it is not just an empty gesture, but a genuine request, because I am the one most familiar with the data

My experience in labs in college science courses has been much different than my experiences in the lab. It is one thing to be able to follow directions in a lab manual and another to have to figure out by yourself how to solve a certain problem, and what steps need to be taken to solve it. I always thought that I was incompetent in college lab courses. But I think that in fact I am competent and this experience has given me the opportunity to discover that for myself.

Some of the interns, especially early in their internship, found the unfamiliar lack of guidance and structure stressful. Many women feared "messing things up" or making mistakes. Women (especially those leaving science) described how answers in science classes and labs are either right or wrong and leave little room for revision or second chances--students strive to attain a known outcome. Interns enjoyed real research because the pressure associated with making a mistake was removed; a "failed" experiment no longer translated into feeling like a failure.

The whole environment of my internship reinforces my desire to enter a career in science. There isn't a lot of pressure in my internship. The emphasis is placed on learning and enjoying science.

I am getting practical lab skills, and while the results are important, it's not a catastrophe if I screw up, (which hopefully I won't do). Also, unlike a lab for class, we aren't looking for anything specific. We don't know what the answers are going to be and as a result there's no right or wrong, like in class.

My internship has not made me necessarily more confident although it has changed my view of myself in relation to science. I was very timid at first in the lab, I felt like I know nothing and it bothered me a little. But now I realize that it's ok to not know, that the whole thing is about learning, about trying different things to get things to work, about experimenting. And it doesn't always work, but that doesn't mean that you should lose confidence in yourself. I really enjoy science and I think I want to continue to work in this area.

I was expecting to feel some sort of failure, but I have really begun to understand that there is no failure in science-maybe things don't work out, but you can just do it again!

During their internship, participants came to realize that, in fact, much of science "doesn't work," and that there are many questions that don't have answers. Hearing graduate students and faculty discuss their own frustrations, failures, and lack of knowledge seemed to reassure freshwomen that their own such feelings did not signal incompetence, but rather were inherent in the practice of science.

The other day, he {my sponsor} was telling me about the frustrations he was having with the computers at the time; it was really neat to hear about.

When I asked the graduate student in my lab what the neurochemical dynorphin did, she said that nobody really knew. To be helping her with her investigation of its properties made me feel like a "real scientist" with a defined objective. In all of my schooling, the level of detail has always been so broad that no question asked was without an answer. It is awesome to realize that so many things are (presently) unexplainable and that a world of understanding is out there waiting to be explored.

2) Personal Contact and Teamwork

The close, personal contact with people in science that the internship experience fosters, is probably the most valued, important aspect of a WISP internship (and, more generally, the WISP program). Interns (and other WISP participants) seem to concur that "the best part was meeting so many great people." Throughout the journals, interns cited their interaction and work with peers and lab members as an influential, necessary, and unique opportunity freshman year. Large introductory classes and the impersonal departments turn women away from science majors--many miss the close interactions they had with teachers in high school and are intimidated by the aura of professors. In their internship setting, interns came in contact with other members of the lab (graduate students, technicians, upperclassmen); these people offered them support, advice, career counseling, mentorship, and friendship. By exposing freshwomen to the personal, human face of science, the internship contradicted stereotypes about science and made it more appealing:

WISP has made me realize that science just isn't the impossible, foreign world that it is so often made out to be. I suppose it has humanized the field. The lab I am involved with is full of people truly concerned with scientific problems. They all put so much energy into their research and they care so much about getting helpful results.

What I like most about working in the lab is being a part of a group. I enjoy having lunch with them and listening to the women talk about their families. I have now been able to see the personal side of working in a lab. Before I thought the scientist would be so enthralled in their research that they would not have anything to talk about, but science. However, I was wrong. They are well-rounded interesting people. I also love that they are able to discuss their personal lives with me. I feel like I am one of the gang.

Social interaction and getting to know the other members of the lab made many women feel more comfortable. As Table 2 shows, women frequently mentioned their friendship and conversations with fellow researchers. Interns were struck by their co-workers' willingness to help or answer questions about academics and research as well as career and personal lives.

It seems we have started to have more social conversations recently, which I think leads to a more relaxed work environment. It puts me more at ease, and makes me feel more comfortable giving my input on particular tasks and ideas.

The lab has turned into a community for me. I can seek personal advice, tell weekend stories, or ask questions like "What the hell are we actually doing?"

Interns imagined labs as intense, competitive workplaces. However, as their journals document, they discovered that this is not the case. The relaxed, easygoing, social atmosphere of the labs in which people "work hard and play hard" was attractive to the women. As the internship progressed, many women found themselves at home in their internship setting and regarded it as a social and support network.

Another highly valued aspect of the internship program was the opportunity that it afforded women to glimpse the life a researcher leads both inside and outside the lab. Many freshwomen wonder about balancing a career in science with a family and other personal interests; contact with lab members demonstrated that the two worlds are not incompatible.

I think that the Women in Science program and especially the internship program at Dartmouth is an excellent way to introduce women to science … providing, not only the academic part of the 'scientist' lifestyle, but also an insight into what kind of life a scientist leads away from the laboratory.

I have also had a chance to discuss her life as a researcher and professor, and I think it sounds wonderful … perhaps something that I will do.

My other mentor invited me and the other mentees to dinner at the end of Winter term. Seeing her with her husband and young daughter, made me realize more completely that she has a life outside of {her research focus}.

Interns' informal interactions with faculty provided a variety of different types of relationships. Contact outside the classroom helped to make the professors and their departments approachable. Some internships spawned close mentor-mentee relationships and friendships; some of these will continue as interns solicit their sponsor to act as their academic or thesis advisors, continue to work in the labs, or who occasionally touch base to "catch-up."

I think it was a great opportunity for me to meet professors and other faculty members at the engineering school where I work. I now feel more comfortable asking a faculty member that I know there for help or opinions. It's nice to recognize faces when I go through the building to my classes.

I also think that the program gave me the opportunity to get to know a few professors that work on the floor and see them in a different perspective. I'm also grateful for the bond I formed with my sponsor. I would go to her for advice on classes and things like that before I would go to anyone else.

Senior women indicated that they would have benefitted from closer faculty advising and role models throughout college. Because interns have reason to come in close contact with a faculty member outside the lecture hall, internships can facilitate this type of support. The interns also had the opportunity to look to the people (especially women) in lab as role models. Interns found their co-workers' work inspirational and their enthusiasm contagious.

The women in the lab with whom I work all seem to be very intelligent, hard-working, dedicated individuals, and I find it very inspiring to work along side of them. They always offer me advice and try to encourage me when I start to question my abilities in science. I think that this environment has helped me a great deal. I am learning so much about science and research, and it is wonderful to use the women in my lab as models of what I can become with hard work.

Interns contrasted the support and encouragement of lab members with their experience in college laboratories. The competition that prevails in many science courses is one of the factors that interns frequently cited as a major deterrent to a major in science.

It was obvious to me that they respect each other and will help each other out when they can. The support network was very refreshing. I used to think that like college, the scientific world was dominated by cut throat competition, however, that is not true.

College labs are very competitive and rigorous, while my internship is much more cooperative. I am much more comfortable with my internship because of this.

The cooperation between scientists also impresses me. It is wonderful to see two researchers from competing labs sitting down and trying to figure out a complicated problem together for the sake of advancing science.

In general, the interns enjoyed working with other people. Some of the interns worked on projects with other interns or students. While group work presented some difficulties in scheduling group meetings and dividing the workload, overall interns appreciated the opportunity to discuss their ideas and questions with a peer. Interns felt more comfortable expressing their frustrations, seeking help, and asking "stupid" questions from their peers who are (or have been) in similar positions recently (i.e., not knowing all the background information and techniques) than approaching other lab members whose memories of their first lab experience have faded. Those who worked with another intern either on the same project or a different project appreciated the intellectual and emotional support their classmate could provide. Interns who worked alone often wished that they had had a fellow student or "someone my age" with which to discuss their internship and their research; these more-isolated interns appreciated sharing experiences and emotions during checkpoints.

Interns seek support from their peers as they grapple with the difficulties associated with being a novice researcher; however, part of what makes the internship experience so meaningful to them is their connection with and inclusion in another group--their lab's research "team." In their journals, interns commented on the fact that they were treated as a valued member of their research group instead of an employee that did only grunt work. Having assigned space and materials, attending weekly lab meetings and social events, and working on their own research project that interfaced with other projects in the lab, communicated to students that they were accepted as equals and that their work was important.

I have my own space, my own desk and tools and chair with my name on it so no one changes the height! I've been made to feel as though I belong and that I am an integral part of the research being performed there.

I realized science is about team work. I had always had a picture of the lone scientist conducting research in a quiet desolate lab, but it's not at all like this. That's good.

There is very much a 'team' atmosphere about our group, which definitely has heightened my interest in the project.

N told me what the research was about and what my role in the research was going to be. All of a sudden it hit me that I was now an important part of this lab as he showed me my desk, gave me my own lab notebook, and told me that I had to chip in for coffee. I had the sudden overwhelming feeling of actually doing something useful. I wasn't just doing chemistry problems or memorizing biology. I was going to be analyzing data and making conclusions. This was my first impression of what "science" actually was. When I left that day, I had a feeling of pride that I would be working as an equal with these other knowledgeable people.

Many students who regarded science as an isolated endeavor were pleasantly surprised by the community that existed between members of the lab, between labs at Dartmouth, and between researchers worldwide who investigated similar questions. Working with people, doing something for people, and doing something useful were considerations that students cited as important ones in choosing a career. Thus, realizing that scientists interact with their colleagues, might influence some students to consider research more strongly as a career. (However, as Table 2 shows, many interns still felt they needed more contact with people or the general public than is common in scientific research.) The other facet of real research science that students, such as the intern above, enjoyed was the opportunity to "do something useful." The next section explores this theme in more depth.

3) The Bigger Picture

One characteristic of science classes that discouraged women was the lack of personal connection with or practical applications of the material they studied. In their journals, interns described the important role that the internship played in helping them to situate abstract course content in a larger context. Women contrasted the difference between "just sitting and listening to abstract concepts being explained" in class with doing "actual work to get tangible results" in their lab. One intern's assertion,

I'm really more comfortable working with things that I can see and feel, rather than imagine in my head,

was a commonplace sentiment. But, the uniqueness of an internship experience stemmed from more than just having a hands-on experience; science course labs, too, permit students to work with materials. What set the internship apart was that it entailed doing science that intern perceived as worthwhile--it was not just a verification of an existing fact.

I feel like I am actually going somewhere with all this, as if I will be doing something hands on, for the first time in my life! … the research is really worth while, and it means a lot to me personally to be part of it. I think that I was expecting something a bit like the class room, where I was never integrated into what was REALLY happening. From the looks of things, I was really wrong--quite happily I must say!

The interns explained that they worked as part of a larger network; their work was often important for other members of their research team. What they do, and how they do it "count" not because they were getting a grade, but because their work and results will be used in the future.

It also excites me to know that the work I am doing will have meaning and could be useful to other people.

Situating concepts and research in their larger context served to excite students about both lecture and lab science classes. On one hand, the internship research helped students to see how and why their book knowledge is important.

This internship has taught me about the practical uses of science … Science is no longer a foreign language for me. The topics that I learn about in biology and chemistry have a practical purpose.

The connection between practice and knowledge prompted some interns to take science classes; to better understand their research project, they opted to study a related science course (and then described how their experience in the lab helped them anchor and relate to the material in class).

On the other hand, the "bigger picture" about why they were conducting the research helped students put the details and work (which they realized is often tedious) in perspective.

It's easy to be excited about the project because the "big picture" is so in reach.

The head of the lab, Dr. N, really helped me to understand the big picture by taking all the interns aside the first day and carefully describing an overview of the purpose of our experiments and how they fit into the big picture so whenever I feel lost in the details I just think of Dr. N's explanation.

As the latter response indicates, a briefing by the sponsor at the beginning of the internship about how their lab's research and the interns' little project fit into the bigger picture and why it was important can be extremely valuable. The mentors this year seemed to do a good job introducing the students to the project and should be encouraged to continue to do so in the future.

This realization that their work could potentially make an impact by generating information that might help solve a problem-- intellectual, physical, medical, or social--motivated students to continue their work and their science studies.

I love it because I feel that I am actually understanding something that will one day be useful in the world and that one day I can apply all my own to make a difference.

I loved every minute of it, even the times when I thought I would collapse, because I kept thinking to myself that "this is the real world. This makes a difference. What goes on in this lab matters to the whole world."

4) Career Plans

Many students participated in an internship because they felt it would help them make an informed decision about possible future careers. Some women had pretty much ruled out a career in research science, but wanted exposure to it before they definitely disregarded the option. Many others considered themselves "pre-med" but were curious to see what research entailed. Some participants were considering a research career. One core feature of the WISP internships was the insight that they offered into research careers, science fields, and science-related careers.

Women entered Dartmouth with little knowledge about the types of careers that are available for people interested in science (outside of medicine.) The internship experience broadened their understanding about the range of career options:

I think the lab has definitely given me insight into what kind of careers are out there.

Not only did internships expose students to new careers, but also to new scientific disciplines. Quite a few students wrote that, as a result of their internship, they plan to take a course in a previously-unconsidered scientific field; others were considering an internship-related field as a possible major.

I'm having a very good time with my internship, and it has been insightful, as far as planning for the future is concerned. It has shown me a part of engineering that I really like. I signed up for an engineering course for the spring term as a result of my good experiences with my engineering internship. I feel much more comfortable in the building and in the various labs that I work in, and I think this will partially affect my decisions, for the time being anyway. We are working rather unprofessionally, as we know little about mechanics or electronics, but our sponsors have assured us that what we are doing is legitimate, and not an easy task. Our sponsors frequently offer us advice about engineering as a career, which I find helpful.

Working in the field of psychology has greatly increased my interest in the area - so much so that I plan to take an introductory psychology class and perhaps even pursue this field as a minor or even a major.

In fact, until my internship I really haven't given computer science much thought as a future career but now I'm seriously considering majoring in computer science. I used to think computer science was just programming and working with a computer but I've found that their are limitless possibilities in the field computer science … My internship has been a valuable source of information and growth. I think the one thing I've become most aware of is the possibilities that are out there for me in the field of science. There's so much to do and to be explored.

Particularly noteworthy was the effect on interns' understanding and affect toward computers and computer science. Interns described how their internship helped them "break beyond {their} "computer phobia" and become more comfortable with computers.

With each passing day I gain more confidence and learn that not all mysteries of computer science are closed to me. Having to work independently learning HTML and Hypercard has given me a lot of confidence, a sense that I am responsible for my own learning and can succeed when I gather up the motivation.

Women were surprised, and unprepared, for the heavy utilization of computers in science laboratories. Dartmouth undergraduates might be comfortable with word processing and e-mail programs on the computer, but a significant number of women expressed their discomfort and fear of working with computers in their laboratory. A few of the interns specifically chose a computer-based internship because they wanted more exposure to computers. Because it could act as a filter or impediment in science, women's lack of confidence with computers is disturbing. The issue merits further systematic investigation, this data only reflects responses by women who raised the issue of their own accord.

Students' misconceptions about science and lack of information about science-based careers functioned as a major deterrent to interest in scientific research and other science-related careers. The number of women considering medical careers was impressive;however, interns' responses suggested that the intense pre-medical interest may be explained, in part, by the fact that many women were only aware of a few options for science-related careers. Medicine is a "safe world," perhaps because students know what it entails; they have come in contact with physicians, the associated stereotypes and status are positive, and the steps for pursuing it as a career are well-defined. Women mentioned that medicine appealed to them because it was one of the only professions in science that you could work with and help people. (The only other science related profession that a few women identified as helping people was teaching.) The following quotes attest that stimulating some students' interest in research (and other professions) may be a matter of exposure or experience.

{It} has given me the opportunity to realize that I will have other options if I do not go to medical school … I have actually begun to reconsider medical school, which is good for me to do at this stage because I still have a lot of time to consider fields in psychology. The whole internship experience has pretty much solidified my desire to pursue a career in psychology, of some sort, because it has been such a rewarding experience. Furthermore, I know that I want to go into research, be it medical or physiological or behavioral. I really enjoy working intensely on a project in order to accomplish something, or discover something.

Engineering is fun! Lab work is fun! I am really struggling with the to-be-premed-or-not-to-be-premed question. I see myself being the most happy in a lab, maybe pharmacology or virology? I want to work in medicine-related fields. Before my internship, I never would have considered becoming a research scientist, but now it's a career I'm seriously considering!

Professor N is a very helpful sponsor … I ask him many questions about research. The more time I spend in the lab, the more I can see myself working in a lab as my career. I even discussed the option of getting my Ph.D. in biochem with my father the other night. The transition from the safe world of premed would be too scary for me right now, but at least I have an option to think about.

WISP has greatly influenced my view on science. Science is no longer a dream, a far-out-there wish that I think I could participate in. Science is a reality. I actively work in the fields of science and engineering, and my work has given me every confidence that I can go on to get my PhD and really make an impact in science. It has also helped me make one personal decision-- I have tentatively decided not to go to med school but to do science research.

5) Understandings about Scientific Research

Regardless of whether or not an intern planned to pursue a career in science, students enthusiastically characterized their internship as a worthwhile experience that taught them much about how science really operates. Interns finished the experience with a much greater appreciation for the difficulties and joys of research.

Interns were surprised by the slow progress of scientific research, and the amount of work it took to understand even one small piece in the puzzle. They enjoyed researching new problems without predetermined answers, however, at the same time they grew frustrated with the unpredictability of science, their inability to get the results they wanted, and the lack of a definite "answer."

Everything that I do is kind of "iffy" and I guess I thought that scientific analysis would be much more exhaustive and final.

One thing that seems surprising to me about working in a lab is that it really is so much trial and error. I'm so used to having labs for class in which the results are known beforehand. Now, we are trying ideas as they come up. It's interesting to see the results, but there are so many areas that could be causing difficulties in the experiments that it's hard to make any definitive conclusions. I guess what I'm trying to say is that although I always liked science because it seemed to have an answer, I realized that there are so many unknown areas.

Though this was frustrating, I think it served its purpose of teaching me the "real scientific method." What I mean by that is that nothing is ever the way you see it at first. You really have to look at your results without any biases. Also, things will not always work out the way you want them to. No matter how much you want the results to be repeatable, they may not be, and you just have to accept that and move on. I have learned how to revise my experiments in order to have as few variables as possible. This way, I do get repeatable results more often. However, they still aren't guaranteed to work.

The journals expressed interns' new understandings about the patience, dedication, and perseverance that the researchers in the labs possessed, as interns came to recognize research as hard work. Contrary to the stereotypes in society, interns learned that scientists do not possess inordinate amounts of intelligence, just lots of motivation--an insight that could make a career in research seem much more accessible:

It has given me some new ideas about science, and it has also made me realize what working as a scientist really means. I think before I began the internship, I looked on science as something glamorous, that only really brilliant people could be a part of. Now I know that is not true. Science includes a lot of drudge work that can be done by anyone, but if someone works long enough on one experiment, than they will be able to form ideas of their own about the subject, no matter how brilliant or not brilliant they are.

I also know that you don't have to be smart to learn this stuff, you just have to be dedicated. As long as you work hard and you are interested, you can earn the respect of others

I realized that lab work can often be very mundane and frustrating. I still like what I'm doing, but actual experience has kind of shatter my earlier illusion of what lab work can be like.

Through their work, interns realized that science is not built on "discoveries" but rather is constructed piecemeal through many unexciting trials. The complexities inherent in designing and conducting experiments; the messiness of data; the stamina needed for tolerating the mundane, tedious details of the work; and the myriad of variables that needed to be taken into account gave them a new understanding of science and respect for its practitioners.

Science is not simply a search for an answer. For every result that science attains, there are 10 more questions that emerged which need further investigation. I have found this to be incredibly true in the course of my internship. From the results that we gathered from the experiment, new questions about puzzling data arise and we formulate new hypothesis and test them. This procedure is sometimes frustrating and tedious, but extremely fascinating nonetheless. It made me change my entire view point of science. I've come to realize that science is an incredibly dynamic field. There are no definite answers. There are always factors that we have not considered which might affected our experimental results … I've always believed that science is something definite, a proven fact from the text book which has exact answers. Yes, that is partly true, but more importantly, the details of individual processes is so complex and intricate that there are infinite questions yet to be asked and answered. Another point that I have noted from my internship is that one should always raise questions, no matter how seemingly irrelevant. It might apply to something significant which was otherwise overlooked or ignored by other members of your team.

Because they were immersed in a scientific setting, the interns also learned about other important forces that shaped scientific work. Interns had not realized the influence of grants, and the importance and time devoted to procuring funding. The role of publications, communications, and conferences; the organization and hierarchy of a laboratory; and the business and diplomacy that accompany research were described as new understandings about science.

From what I have heard and seen of the on-goings of my lab, I have also seen the diplomatic, business affairs involved in science and research. There are many adherent customs and protocol which have to be delicately managed by the scientist. These include seniority in the lab, and cooperating with other lab members. I've learned that science is not all just textbooks and memorizing, it's an ever expanding field. In my lab, we are asked to test out new equipment almost every week. The ability and the scope of these new instruments of research is amazing and the possibilities are limitless. This advancing technology makes science a field of infinite knowledge.

I know now … how much research is supported by grants. I had no idea the extent or cost of non-commercial research, and little idea of the amount of money given out for it. I had always assumed that whatever science research was going on had a direct marketable application.

Communication in the lab in which I work takes many forms: communication with other labs, within our own lab, and between my post-doc and myself. Each depends on the others for the research to be thorough and successful. Since the project is in a continuous state of experimentation, we look to research of similar projects to see what methods of analysis to employ. My input on observations from this information is always looked on as important, which is encouraging. As for communication between my sponsors and others involved in their field, letters and research reports are vital. Blitzmail is another source of correspondence. Since the project is based on a similar one already completed, communication with those researchers involved in the past project or in similar projects is of utmost importance, for it can save a lot of time if something is not going well or if there is a question as to some aspect of the project.

Such glimpses into the innards of science, the lives of scientists, and the culture of science, caused students to reshape their views about science and their own abilities to understand and conduct scientific research. Students described their new appreciation of not only the products or outcome or science, but also the process of science:

I have already learned an incredible amount about the scientific process as it is really used, and it's great to know that there is much more to science than what I'm learning now in my classes.

Through this I have gained a new outlook on science. I now not only love science due to its interesting facts but also through the process (based on experiments) through which these facts are created.

The increased awareness, appreciation, and skepticism of scientific facts was a important effect of the internship program. Science is a powerful tool in our society, inspiring fear and awe, often because it's findings and mechanisms are misrepresented. By participating in research, interns developed a more complex understanding of the workings of science. Regardless of whether or not they continue in science, interns valued this newly acquired knowledge.

6) The Issue of Women in Science

WISP and its existence was a topic of campus controversy at Dartmouth this year. In particular, the debate focused around the exclusion of men from internships. To get a glimpse of Dartmouth freshwomen's understandings of women in science, and their precollege and Dartmouth experiences and impressions, one journal question addressed these topics. This subsection does not endeavor to summarize the passionate responses to this question, but rather to offer a brief summary of the types of responses that affirm the existence of a program like WISP at Dartmouth.

Not surprisingly, freshwomen offer anecdotes about sexism or discouraging gender-based experiences in primary and secondary school. Some women described their reaction to being the only women in their science and math courses in high school as an exciting challenge (they strove to prove they could do as well the men) but others found the lack of support and role models difficult.

I find gender issues to be very confusing. I still feel that there aren't nearly enough female role models. Growing up, I always felt disadvantaged because I was female and all the heroes, all the doers, and all the role models were male. I thought that I was excluded from all those roles because of my sex. WISP is a step into showing me that the world is not a males only club. I feel like I can put my foot in the door and break into something that interests me.

Many women described their appreciation, and need, for the support that WISP provided them as a women in science. Some women experienced a difference in the sex ratio in science classes for the first time at Dartmouth:

I am in an engineering internship, and while I have definitely not experienced any sexism in any way, I would have to say that the lack of women involved in this area has shocked me.

They were also disturbed by the lack of women professors:

At Dartmouth I have found a very accepting and nurturing environment for my science and mathematics talents. Although I feel very under represented both in terms of the class makeup and the little # of female science prof. It would be encouraging as well as a reaffirmation to the importance of women's contributions to all fields of science. I have only had one female prof. in any of my science courses while at Dartmouth. I would like to see more.

Freshwomen interns and others who participated in WISP programming found their interactions with the female professors and mentors refreshing and inspirational; they appreciated having women role models.

Because science is male dominated and intimidating to many women, it is neat to see women become involved, persist, and follow through with what they want to do.

In my internship, I get a lot of support from my sponsor because she encourages me to pursue my interest in the sciences. I feel that my sponsor is a good role model because I did not think that many woman engaged in independent scientific experiments.

Finally some women spoke about their discomfort with the class dynamics in their science courses:

However, now that I'm in college it's quite an adjustment. In my math classes I find that the male students ask all the questions and have more interaction with the professors. I don't think it has anything to do with Dartmouth or the classes and professors being biased or anything it's just the way the women are. For me personally I don't speak up as often as I did in high school because I'm still trying to gain that comfort level I had in high school. It's just a matter of time and adjustment. However, I do see the number of women in my math classes decreasing as I move higher and higher.

The freshwomen who perceived problems appreciated the support and networking that WISP offered. Overall, the interns thought that the internships (the only gender-restricted activity) should remain single-sex. Personal experience and a WISP newsletter article helped women to understand (and agree with) the rationale for WISP internships. However, one issue that a number of freshwomen raised in relation to restricting the internship to women, was that of competence--some felt that allowing only women to participate signaled that women would not be able to compete with men for such positions if internships were open to everyone. This concern was voiced by a number of women and probably should be directly addressed in future years in a newsletter or information session. Some interns mentioned that the newsletter article that dealt with the issue of women in science this year helped them assuage the "guilt" they felt about holding an internship and to explain to their peers why WISP exists. Many freshwomen were still unaware of the biases and difficulties that women in science face. Such understandings may develop over time--the seniors that participated in focus groups had more developed understandings. Continuing to educate women about the rationale and the issues that face women in science will better prepare women for the difficulties they could encounter.

Questionnaire data

Most interns applied for an internship because they wanted to try scientific research or have a hands-on science experience (53.8%). Another common rationale offered was that it sounded interesting or was a good experience (41.3%). Freshwomen sought exposure to laboratory research to help them with career decisions (21.0%). Some of the these women had already ruled out laboratory research as a career option; however, they wanted to verify their decision with actual experience. Other students who had held internships previously knew they had enjoyed lab work wanted to do more (8.4%). Finally, the fact that the internship was a work-study job attracted or was important to some students (8.4%) who needed a job.

Generally, a faculty member or research scientist sponsors an intern in their lab. However, often the intern worked most closely with some other member of the group, a graduate student or upperclassmen. Interns were asked who they worked most closely with. They responded:

Mentor status:

Interns were surprised by the amount of time that their mentors were willing to spend with them. Most mentors had a lot of contact with their interns, 67.8% of the interns reported that they had contact with their mentor every time they worked, 18.2% reported a few times a week. Only 8.4% had hardly any interaction. The majority of women (85.3%) felt that the guidance that they received from their mentor was adequate, but 11.2% of the interns would have appreciated more--these women felt lost in the independence their mentors gave them. A significant number of interns had built a close relationship with their mentor and maintained contact with their mentor throughout college. 15.4% of the senior interns reported having a lot of continuing contact with their mentor throughout college, 38.5% kept in touch or had a little contact, and 38.5% had no contact after freshman year.

All interns (freshwomen and seniors) were asked what the five most important things they had learned from their internship were. They most commonly cited:

What interns learned from their internships:

In their journals, interns described the various influences of their internship. To collect more systematic data, interns were asked on a questionnaire if the WISP internship influenced their:

WISP internship influences

*See text for details

A few of these responses merit further explanation. 56.4% of the respondents indicated that the internship influenced their future scientific research; 53.2% intend to continue in the same lab or seek another research position and 3.2% said they would do no more research. 33.4% of the interns responded that it did not affect their scientific research but 5.8% of the interns responding indicated that this was only because they would have sought a position anyway. Thus, it appears that 59.0% of the interns i ntend to hold another research position. 3.2% of the interns were unsure.

The 45.5% of the interns who said that the internship affected their choice of major were comprised of three groups: 41.7% planned to continue in science, 1.9% switched their science major, and 1.9% planned to leave science.

Three types of responses also appeared in the positive response about career plans. 25.0% plan to continue in science, 6.4% were influenced by the internship to leave science, and 4.5% responded with an unqualified "yes."

Throughout their journals, interns mentioned many challenging aspects of the internship. The interns' identification of the most rewarding and frustrating aspect of the internship indicate which of these they considered most important

Most rewarding aspect of the internship:

Working with other people was the most cited response. 59.5% of the interns worked with another intern in their lab. Of these, 55.3% collaborated on the same project and 44.7 % had individual projects. Overall, the interns enjoyed working in a pair or group--they mentioned in particular feeling comfortable brainstorming or sharing ideas and asking each other questions. But working with another intern also had it's drawbacks. Interns, especially those in groups, complained about the logistical difficulties of scheduling a convenient meeting time.

Most frustrating aspect of the internship:

Reading the interns' journals sequentially revealed that interns experience different sources of frustration at different points during the internship. The first month is generally the most stressful; interns are not familiar with the laboratory and its procedures. They reported that their lack of background knowledge about the research topic makes them feel "stupid." (Later, interns get frustrated more with the monotony and unpredictability of their experiments.) Interns expressed an initial reluctance or discomfort in asking questions or for help, feeling "stupid" and in the way. However, becoming more comfortable in the lab, meeting their co-researchers and realizing that people in the lab are eager to help them, assuages interns' fears. At the end of the internship, interns were asked what advice they would pass along to new interns. The most commonly cited response involved asking questions and for help:

New intern advice:

Interns raved about their internship experience. However, a few of them had suggestions for improving the experience. Some interns still would like more contact with both their interns and their mentors. Interns working "alone" (with no other interns or undergraduates) expressed a desire to get together with other interns--they found the checkpoints a wonderful opportunity to do this. One woman commented that she learned more about science in the checkpoints listening to the others' varied experiences than in her own lab! In general, interns enjoyed their contact with each other (and other science students)--quite a few interns would have liked more. The recommendations of other students, though worth noting, seem more case-specific. A few interns wished that they had had more contact with their mentor. Because they knew their mentors were very busy, freshwomen felt strange initiating conversations; they would have felt more comfortable if the mentors had approached them more frequently. Finally some of the interns wished that their sponsor had been more clear about the precise goal of the internship and had provided more guidance. A few interns felt that they floundered until the end when their mentor helped them focus for the poster session. Communicating information about the facets of the experience that interns find challenging and rewarding might educate faculty about the internship experience in general and the insights it promotes as well as sensitize them to the concerns that students hold.

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