Investigating experiences of a Black woman in physics and astronomy

Abstract

This research focuses on the experiences of physics and astronomy graduate women of color. We conducted semi-structured, empathetic interviews to understand their experiences in their graduate program and how they navigate the physics department at a large research university, which is a predominantly white institution. The interviews are guided by critical race theory (CRT). We use CRT to examine how racial identities play a role in the obstacles faced by these women, including interactions with peers and faculty members. In this paper, we focus on the experiences of a Black woman in physics, Linda, to understand how her marginalized identities affected her experiences in physics during her undergraduate and graduate programs. The themes that emerged from Linda's interview include lack of support, more than just doing physics, and persistence in physics.

Defiance in the face of adversity: a qualitative study of women's attrition from and persistence in physics

“…Though much research has been conducted pertaining to women's experiences and persistence in STEM more broadly, there is less research on women's experiences in physics. Recent studies by Santana and Singh suggest that students from underrepresented groups often experience a lack of sense of belonging within physics [11]. In a previous study, the authors suggested that due to the hostile environment created by male peers in physics, it is critical for women to create a community amongst themselves and have resources readily available to support this [12].…”

Opportunity Gaps for Women in Chemical Engineering: A Quantitative Critical Investigation

“…[46] showed that courses with high-stakes exams systematically disadvantaged women in biology. Other explanations could include classroom culture such as men dominating classroom conversations or discounting the contributions of women in study groups [47]. Li & Singh (2022) showed that, in physics, whether women feel that their instructors perceive them as physics people has a significant impact on self-efficacy and sense of belonging, both of which are hypothesized to affect persistence [48].…”