Three Cedar Crest College professors recently published an article reflecting on efforts by the College to expand major offerings and research experiences in the biological sciences—showcasing the impact of a women’s college education and increased opportunities for women to enter STEM fields.
Cedar Crest faculty Audrey J. Ettinger, Ph.D., Jennifer D. Hayden, Ph.D., and K. Joy Karnas, Ph.D., published, “Research Experiences Kick-Starting Careers: The Next Generation of Scientists Starts Here” in a special edition of Collectif, an online anthology published by the Center for the Advancement of Women at Mount Saint Mary’s University.
This special edition of the journal, Collectif: Examining the Value and Utility of a Women’s College Education in North America, invited researchers from the Women’s College Coalition to investigate the relevance of women’s universities in modern times. The collection of articles showcases initiatives that have been demonstrated to advance gender equity and explores how these institutions are positively impacting women and girls.
Cedar Crest’s contribution to the journal explores innovations within the Department of Biological Sciences—reviewing the historic development of specialized majors and the incorporation of original research projects into the curriculum for undergraduate programs.
“Despite the current overrepresentation of women as undergraduate students, substantial gender inequities persist in STEM-related careers and women are consistently underrepresented in a wide array of scientific fields,” Ettinger, Hayden and Karnas state in the article.
“At Cedar Crest College, educators have addressed this gender gap by providing women a liberal arts education with opportunities to pursue a specialized major in the biological sciences.”
The authors explore how establishing these majors impacted the career choices and experiences of Cedar Crest graduates. Ettinger, Hayden and Karnas’ research concludes that specialized majors and research experiences at women’s colleges may increase the number of women who persist through the STEM pipeline.
Ettinger is an associate professor of biology and has taught at Cedar Crest since 2003. She has served as the director of the Neuroscience Program since 2007, and co-teaches the departmental capstone course Science, Ethics, and Society with Hayden. She also chairs the Cedar Crest Faculty Personnel Committee and serves as the Faculty President-Elect.
Hayden is an assistant professor of biology and has taught at Cedar Crest since 2017. She has taught microbiology to support the Nursing Program and for departmental majors.
Karnas is a professor of biology and has been Cedar Crest faculty for 20 years. She served as the director of the Genetic Engineering Technology Program from 2002-2014, was the chair of biological sciences from 2014-2017 and is currently the director of the College’s Honors Program.
Read the full article in Collectif 2020.
Visit the Biological Sciences webpage to learn more about the department and its offerings.