Science Fiction Exhibits as STEM Gateways Samantha Robie A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts University of Washington 2014 Committee: Kris Morrissey Adam Eisenberg LeiLani Nishime Program Authorized to Offer Degree: Museology ©Copyright 2014 Samantha Robie University of Washington Abstract Science Fiction Exhibits as STEM Gateways Samantha Robie Chair of the Supervisory Committee: Kris Morrissey, Director Museology Women continue to hold less than a quarter of all STEM jobs in the United States, prompting many museums to develop programs and exhibits with the express goal of interesting young girls in scientific fields. At the same time, a number of recent museum exhibits have harnessed the popularity of pop culture and science fiction in order to interest general audiences in STEM subject matter, as well as using the exhibits as springboards to expand or shift mission goals and focus. Because science fiction appears to be successful at raising interest in STEM fields, it may be an effective way to garner the interest of young girls in STEM in particular. This research seeks to describe the ways in which museums are currently using science fiction exhibits to interest young girls in STEM fields and careers. Research focused on four institutions across the country hosting three separate exhibits, and included staff interviews and content analysis of exhibit descriptions, promotional materials, a summative evaluation and supplementary exhibit productions. In some ways, science fiction exhibits do serve young girls, primarily through the inclusion of female role models, staff awareness, and prototype testing to ensure interactives are attractive to girls as well as to boys. However, STEM appears to be underutilized, which may be partly due to a concern within the field that the outcome of targeting a specific gender could be construed as “stereotyping”. SCIENCE FICTION EXHIBITS AS STEM GATEWAYS 1 TABLE OF CONTENTS Preface and Acknowledgements………………………………………………………………...2 Chapter One: Introduction and Problem Statement…..………….…………………………...3 Chapter Two: Review of the Literature………………………………………………………...5 I. Women and Girls in STEM.…………………………………………………………..5 II. Stem Identity in Informal Education…………………………………………………..8 III. Women in Science Fiction…………..……………………………………………….10 Chapter Three: Methods…………………………………….…………………………………15 I. Sampling……………………………………………………………………………..15 II. Methodology…………………………………………………………………………20 III. Content Analysis……………………………………………………………………..21 Chapter Four: Results and Discussion………………………………………………………...23 I. Content Analysis Data Summary…………………………………………………….23 II. Interviews Data Summary……………………………………………………………25 III. Interview Question Themes………………………………………………………….26 IV. Implications of Findings……………………………………………………………..39 V. Limitations and Challenges of Research……………………………………………..42 Chapter Five: Conclusions and Recommendations……………………………...…………...44 I. Recommendations……………………………………………………………………44 Appendices……………………………………………………...……………………………….46 Appendix A: Interview Guide…..………………………………………………………..46 Appendix B: Tables……………………………………………………………………...48 Bibliography……………………………………...……………………………………………..52 SCIENCE FICTION EXHIBITS AS STEM GATEWAYS 2 PREFACE AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I was inspired to research the topic of science fiction exhibits in museums because I wanted to combine two of my passions, science fiction and museums, in an important and meaningful way that would both expand upon current trends within the museum field and the possibilities inherent in a fusion of popular culture and STEM learning. Through this research, I have become even more determined to find ways to use science fiction as a means of inspiring STEM engagement in young girls, and hope to make opportunities for such work in my future career. I would like to thank all the people and institutions kind enough to consent to be interviewed and referenced in the course of writing and researching this thesis paper. I would also like to give a huge thank you to my thesis advisor and committee chair, Kris Morrissey, who was more than patient and consistently supportive and enthusiastic of this research throughout its inception and resolution, even when I was in despair or deep ennui, and gave me the strength to power through and write the thesis I had envisioned. Another big thank you to my other committee members, Adam Eisenberg and LeiLani Nishime, who exercised extraordinary patience in waiting for drafts and fortitude in reading those drafts quickly, and who gave excellent advice vital to the completion of this paper. Finally, I would like to extend my deepest gratitude and love to my family, who were excited about this research from its earliest inception, and encouraged me to pursue it in the first place. This could not have happened without your sustaining love and support throughout my time at the University of Washington. SCIENCE FICTION EXHIBITS AS STEM GATEWAYS 3 CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION AND PROBLEM STATEMENT Women currently hold only 24 percent of all STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) jobs, despite representing 49 percent of the total college-educated workforce. Within certain fields, the numbers are even worse, with women holding a mere 14 percent of engineering jobs, according to a published study by the U.S. Department of Commerce (2011). In response, exhibits and programs created with the goal of encouraging middle school girls to consider careers in STEM have become a trend within many museums. Often what young girls see as representing the STEM fields is male, white, and emphasizes individual genius and workaholic dedication, traits which often discourage young girls, and especially young girls of color, from exploring these fields further. Science fiction, by providing young girls with alternative ways to view the world and strong female role models, might be the key to drawing more young girls into the exciting possibilities of STEM fields and careers. Problem Statement The goal of this research is to identify the ways in which museums are currently using science fiction exhibits to interest young girls in STEM fields and careers. More and more science museums are hosting blockbuster science fiction and fantasy exhibits, such as Harry Potter: The Exhibition and Star Wars: Where Science Meets Imagination. This study will describe ways museums are choosing and designing exhibits to reflect the potentially diverse nature of science fiction, especially in regards to providing young girls with inspiring female role models in science, technology, engineering and math. This research will further inform museums, especially science museums and their exhibit developers, and may also help museums to identify what still needs to be done to engage young SCIENCE FICTION EXHIBITS AS STEM GATEWAYS 4 girls in STEM, to what degree science fiction may be a helpful lens through which to inspire young girls in STEM careers, and what strategies will best incorporate science fiction into the STEM narrative. The results of this research may also prove enlightening to exhibit developers of large blockbuster science fiction exhibits, who may not have realized the potential for such exhibits to ignite young girls’ interests in STEM fields and careers, and subsequently, may tailor future exhibits to appeal more to young girls. SCIENCE FICTION EXHIBITS AS STEM GATEWAYS 5 CHAPTER TWO: REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE In 2010, the National Science Board (NBS) produced a report on the status of STEM education and professions within the United States, meant to identify strategies for increasing the number of “future STEM innovators”, and recommendations for how the National Science Foundation, and similar groups, might best foster environments to encourage the development of such innovators. The NSB stated that too many of America’s most talented young people go unrecognized and never reach their full potential, causing the nation to lose many who could have become leading STEM professionals and made important breakthroughs in science or technology. The NSB stated three areas where focus should be concentrated in order to ensure more talented young people are being brought into STEM fields: high-impact educational policies and practices, a commitment to equity and diversity in order to cast a wider net, and learning environments with high expectations and a commitment to excellence. Although the study did not specifically mention women, stressing a commitment to equity and diversity encompasses the effort to include women in STEM fields. One of the Board’s conclusions was that “the U.S. education system too frequently fails to identify and develop our most talented and motivated students who will become the next generation of innovators” (p. 5), which includes girls currently not engaged in STEM. I. Women and Girls in STEM In 2007, “women accounted for only 22 percent of graduate students in engineering and 27 percent in computer sciences, with a 30-45 percent representation in most other science fields” (National Research Council, 2009), and undergraduate women were more likely to leave the sciences than similarly achieving men (p. 219). Some studies show that the percentage of women in the scientific workforce decreased by almost half from 1999 to 2002 (from 46 to 24 SCIENCE FICTION EXHIBITS AS STEM GATEWAYS 6 percent), according to the National Science Foundation (2002), while women are less likely to obtain tenure or achieve the rank of full professor in science and engineering fields.