http://www.ck12.org Chapter 1. Introduction to Physical Science
1.6 Women and People of Color in Science
- Explain why there are relatively few women and people of color in science.
- Identify several contributions to physical science made by women or people of color.
This woman is playing a flute in what appears to be a cockpit. But why are her feet strapped to the floor? And why
is her hair standing on end? The woman in the photo is astronaut Ellen Ochoa, Ph.D., and she’s playing her flute
aboard the space shuttleDiscovery. The straps prevent her from floating into the air in the zero-gravity ship. The
lack of gravity also explains her hairdo. In addition to being an astronaut who has flown several space missions, Dr.
Ochoa is a leading research scientist and an inventor with several patents to her credit.
1.6 Women and People of Color in Science
Dr. Ochoa is one of just a few dozen female astronauts in the U.S. She is also the first Hispanic woman in the world
to go into space. Although females make up more than half of the U.S. population, fewer than 25 percent of U.S.
astronauts are women. Women are also under-represented in science, especially physical sciences such as chemistry
and physics. What explains this?
Throughout history, women—and also people of color of both genders—have rarely had the same chances as white
males for education and careers in science. Cultural, social, and economic biases have made it far harder for them
than for white males to excel in this area. This explains why there have been fewer scientists among their ranks.