Women’s underrepresentation in STEM fields (science, technology, engineering, and math), which is particularly pronounced in Physics, is a complex problem with multiple causes that likely interact. I’ll talk about three areas of social psychology research focusing on possible causes: Discrimination occurs, ranging from outright to more subtle and implicit biases; the environment that women encounter in STEM fields can be unsupportive; and women may view the pursuit of STEM as being inconsistent with other goals. Although we are far from solving the problem, I will highlight a few promising directions toward improving women’s representation in STEM.

From getting in to defending your thesis, graduate school can seem daunting. In this session, faculty members and graduate students will share their experiences and give you insider tips and tricks to ensure that you get the most out of a graduate school experience.

This will be a discussion session focused on LGBTQ+ issues in physics. We will discuss our experiences as LGBTQ+ people in physics, resources and opportunities for students, as well as changes we would like to see at our universities and in the field as a whole. Everyone is welcome to attend the session, including allies!

A group of LGBTQ+ scientists from the University of Oregon will gather to field your questions about being a minority within STEM, intersectionality, and more. Everyone is welcome to attend the session, including allies!

Do you support the LGBTQ+ in STEM community, but not identify as a member? This session aimed specifically at allies will give you information on how to be a good ally and support communities within STEM that fall outside of your own identities.

School may be challenging and sometimes feel like too much to handle. This session, led by staff from the UO Center for Counseling, will give you tools for dealing with stress, coping with adversity, and finding the extra resources you may need.

Experience a day in the life of ATLAS particle physicists who will lead a virtual tour of the ATLAS control room at CERN (outside of Geneva, Switzerland). The ATLAS experiment is our “eye”, observing the inner workings of high-energy particle collisions provided by our enormous “microscope”: the Large Hadron Collider.

Diversity involves gender, but there are other axes of diversity such as race and sexual orientation, that also require work within STEM disciplines. This session on intersectionality focuses on where these different disadvantaged identities intersect, how they are related to STEM, and how intersectionality can better be addressed within our communities.

Subconscious judgments affect how we perceive one another. For women in physics, implicit bias can impact critical areas such as letters of recommendation, number of citations, and salary conferral. In this workshop, we will explore how implicit bias manifests and how to keep it at bay.

A resume is straightforward to lay out, but difficult to fill! Learn about how to craft the content of your resume effectively so that your application will stand out. This will be workshop style, so bring a pen and paper if possible! Extra will be provided as well.

Are you interested in a career in K-12 education, or have an interest in making STEM fields attractive to high school women? STEP UP for Women seeks to increase the number of women earning degrees in physics by dramatically increasing the number of women majoring in physics in college, closing the gap between the those that take physics in high school (~50%) and those that enter college intending to declare a physics major (~20%).

Participants will learn and practice professional skills that women need to effectively perform research and thrive in physics, including how to: negotiate a graduate, postdoc, or professional position in academia, industry, or at a national lab; interact positively on teams and with a mentor or advisor; think tactically; enhance personal presence; develop alliances; and achieve professional goals.