Improving diversity in the sciences

Current statistics from the National Science Foundation on women and minorities in science and engineering suggest that the demographic composition of scientists and engineers does not reflect the large diversity of the American population. Over 70% of scientists and engineers in the United States are white, 12% Asian, 6% Hispanic, and only 5% black. Furman education professor Michael Svec has been involved in science education for more than 20 years, primarily as a teacher educator, and he has observed firsthand the efforts for improving diversity of both teachers and scientists. In an article for The Conversation, Svec writes that improving diversity in the sciences is a serious challenge that demands immediate attention.