Women in STEM

story and photography by KELSEY STREMEL

Women in the Werth College of Science, Technology, and Mathematics at Fort Hays State University are breaking ground in many exciting areas. Just a few of their research topics include:

Mass-extinction paleoecology. Antibiotic resistance and public health epidemiology. Sustainable food and fiber systems. The Super Dual Auroral Radar Network.

Historically, women in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) have been underrepresented, and due to misinformation about women’s interests and abilities, this gender gap has persisted. In the early 1990s, researchers began investigating this gap to discover ways to empower women and girls.

“The more we have learned about women in STEM, the more we have realized the damage done by false narratives,” said Dr. Grady Dixon, dean of the Werth College of Science, Technology, and Mathematics. “Women are just as interested in science as men, and often more capable, but there are barriers in the way to their success.”

Despite efforts to encourage women in STEM, women only represent only 28% of the STEM workforce. Moreover, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, women in STEM are paid 19% less on average than their male counterparts. The gap is even wider for women of color.

While progress has been made to narrow the gender gap in STEM (the National Center for Education Statistics reports a 43% increase from 2009 to 2016), the lingering disparity of women in STEM careers reminds us that much work is left to be done.

Globally, women represent about 30% of all scientific researchers and about 35% of STEM students. Here in Tiger Nation, women represent 34% of students in the Werth College of Science, Technology, and Mathematics, aligning with national numbers but significantly less than the proportion of women enrolled across all degrees at Fort Hays State — 61%.

When we analyze the representation of women at the faculty level in FHSU’s Werth College, women represent 28% of faculty, 18% of tenured faculty, and only one full professor (you’ll learn about her journey in STEM on the next pages). However, Fort Hays State has made progress in improving these numbers over the years. For example, the college has increased the proportion of women faculty by 12% percent in the last year with some great new hires, and added the first female Chair of the Department of Biological Sciences and the only female chair in the college, Dr. Tara Phelps-Durr.

These numbers are simultaneously encouraging and sobering. They illustrate how far society and FHSU have come to shatter the proverbial glass ceiling and shine a light on the obstacles that remain to realize equal representation for women in STEM. However, these data also raises the question, “why aren’t more women pursuing degrees and careers in STEM, and what can we do to help?”

Some of the common reasons the gender gap persists include negative stereotypes surrounding women in STEM, lack of role models or encouragement from educators and peers, and undesirable workplace environments. Workplace challenges in STEM jobs can be very different for women. According to a Pew Research Center survey, women in STEM are more likely to experience gender-based discrimination in the workplace, receive lower pay, and feel they need to work harder to prove they belong in STEM.

These obstacles are daunting, but the work required to stop misinformation and support women in STEM is happening. Role modeling is one of the leading factors influencing a student’s decision to pursue a degree and career in STEM. As more women find success in STEM fields, they become the role models for future generations.

When students can imagine themselves becoming a scientist and find a supportive mentor to share that passion with, they are more likely to pursue a career in STEM. With that in mind, this feature celebrates the trailblazing FHSU women succeeding in STEM who are role models for future generations. By sharing these stories, we hope to encourage all ages of girls and boys alike to dream, wonder, and strive to push our knowledge in science.

We’ve featured many incredible female faculty, students, and alumni in STEM over the years in the pages of ROAR, including Dr. Laura Wilson and Dr. Hendratta Ali from geosciences, Kelly Strecker from physics, and Vanessa Salazar from biology. The features here represent only a few of the inspiring role models and women in STEM at FHSU. You can help encourage STEM education and champion Tiger Nation’s success by sharing these stories. For more features on science, technology, mathematics, and women in STEM, visit at.fhsu.edu/women-in-stm.

Labels don’t mean a thing

One professor’s journey to becoming a mathematician

Only one female faculty member has reached full professor in the Werth College of Mathematics, Science and Technology at Fort Hays State University — Lanee Young, professor of mathematics.

Mathematics is often considered the queen of sciences because it is essential to every discipline. Whether you are studying physics, chemistry, biology, or agriculture, you will need mathematics to evaluate measurements and results. Despite its necessity, mathematics is a subject that can strike fear into the hearts of grade-schoolers and adults alike. In fact, 93% of Americans report experiencing some level of math anxiety.

Lanee can empathize with the anxiety-inducing effect math can have as she was diagnosed with a learning disability in math as a child and placed with other learners who were struggling in school. However, when she reached junior high, her teacher reintroduced her to the regular classroom, and through hard work and diligent note-taking, Lanee found her passion for math.

“I wanted to prove I could do it because people, my whole life, had said I couldn’t do it,” Lanee said. “Then I really grew to love it, because there’s an answer. Math always has an answer. Maybe we haven’t found it yet, and that’s OK. But there’s an answer out there. You just have to find it and do the work to get there.”

Labeling Lanee as a slow learner as a child ultimately didn’t matter, and having someone who thought she should “just do it” was the push Lanee needed to be successful. That motivation helped Lanee realize that she loved math and wanted to become a teacher.

“I love math, and I love teaching it,” Lanee said. “I love seeing that light bulb go off with students when they’re like, ‘Oh my goodness, this really does make sense.”

Lanee had several inspiring role models in mathematics at Fort Hays State.

“The mathematics department was strong,” she said. “I had strong female classmates, so I never really felt like I was a minority.”

Today, FHSU has several outstanding women working in the mathematics department who have created a strong support system. While there may not be many women in any one class, support and collaboration are never far away.

“Dr. Sarbari Mitra is a brilliant mathematician,” Lanee said. “It is cool because we can play off each other’s strengths. She’s a great researcher, and I consider my path more math education and teaching. When she first came, I kind of got to mentor her into teaching, and I got to learn from her research experience. It’s great to see how we can work together.”

It’s a good thing that Lanee didn’t hold on to the label she was given as a child. She would have missed her calling in mathematics and education.

“Obstacles come in different sizes and shapes, and I believe each of us faces them,” Lanee said. “That’s part of our lives — and everyone’s lives. Sometimes we try to avoid them, but that’s hard. We have to accept sometimes that things happen we can’t control. But the one thing we can control and overcome is how we react to them if we are going to work through challenging obstacles.”

Lanee shared a little advice for students hoping to go into STEM. First, always try to keep in the back of your mind the fact that this isn’t going to be easy. It’s going to be hard! You are going to struggle at times but in the end the feeling of accomplishment is awesome and you’ll be proud of how far you’ve come.

Second, “Don’t let somebody else put a label on you,” said Lanee. “If I would have accepted that label from first grade and waited for someone else to take it off, I would have missed an incredible opportunity.”

Finally, paragraphsing Amy Trask, the first femal NFL CEO, “if you want to get into science, and you feel like you’re being tested because you’re a female, just pass the test,” Lanee said. “Figure out your way to study, get out there and pass the test, and it’s going to be awesome.”

Don’t Be Afraid– Just Do It!

FHSU Alumni breaks stereotypes to find inspiring women in technology

The image of a strong-willed young woman working in the new metals lab of the Center for Applied Technology has become synonymous with the grit and determination of the Fort Hays State University Tiger Spirit. It is a visual testament to perseverance and dedication in breaking down stereotypes to unlock every student’s untapped potential.

Women make up only about 5% of the welding workforce, and FHSU alum Danea Buschkoetter is one of them. She is training and inspiring the next generation of welders as an instructor at the North Central Kansas Technical College-Beloit campus and helping to expand Project MFG: Next Generation Manufacturing Challenge, a collaboration with the U.S. Department of Defense.

Project MFG is a partnership of employers, educators, and communities working to inspire and equip the next generation of skilled trade professionals.

Danea took her team of welders to compete in the 2021 Kansas City Project MFG competition. Their outstanding performance led to an invitation for her to take the project nationwide.

While Danea always knew she wanted to do something in STEM, she didn’t grow up dreaming of breaking barriers, becoming a welding instructor, and collaborating on national security matters. It was something that came naturally and unexpectedly.

“I grew up in an agricultural community, and I wanted to be in FFA,” Danea said. “I had to take an intro class, and my first experience with welding, I was terrified. Then one thing led to another, and once I overcame the fear of it, I found I was good at it, and I liked it.”

Danea won many awards in high school for her welding skills. She decided to pursue a career in a field known for providing stable, goodpaying jobs. She attended NCK Tech in Beloit and then enrolled in the welding engineering technology/ technician associate degree program in Hays — a partnership with Fort Hays State. The program opened her eyes to opportunities in AutoCad, machining, engineering, and manufacturing disciplines that she had never experienced before, and she stayed to complete a bachelor’s in applied technology.

“Everyone in the department played a huge role in my success,” Danea said. “I was pretty shy, and they encouraged me to join the Technology Engineering Education Collegiate Association (TEECA). It was there that I met some of my best friends, and by the end of my college career, I was president of TEECA. I gained confidence, and I was part of two national championship teams. It completely changed who I was from when I started the program.”

The career path for Danea as a woman in STEM hasn’t always been easy.

“The welding industry can be tough,” Danea said. “I had to overcome guys calling me names and sexual harassment, and that’s part of what drove me to further my education instead of going to work right away. Those experiences, though, helped me grow a thick skin and the confidence to express that I know what I’m doing. It’s made me a stronger person, and I wouldn’t be where I am without that.”

As an instructor, she is occasionally challenged and sometimes has to convince male students that she’s an expert. But by the end of the semester, her attention to detail and natural ability to weld and relate to her students wins them over.

There is a nationwide demand for skilled professionals, and the NCK Tech program provides an excellent foundation for continued education with Fort Hays State.

“You will have a job,” Danea said. “And, if you’re a young woman thinking about trying it out — just do it. Don’t be afraid. There will be challenges, but in the long run, it will turn out, and you don’t know what other doors will open.”

Finding the encouragement

A STEM mentor and public health advocate

Dr. Claudia Da Silva Carvalho didn’t have a scientist in the family to look up to while growing up. As many children do, she dreamed of becoming a ballerina, or a bodyguard, or a politician. It wasn’t until she took a high school biology class at Thomas More Prep-Marian High School in Hays that she became fascinated with science.

Today, Claudia is a public health microbiologist, a role model for women in STEM, and a lecturer of biological sciences at her alma mater — Fort Hays State University.

A public health microbiologist investigates microorganisms that pose potential threats and examines how the public responds to such hazards. It combines scientific lab work, including culturing organisms and looking at DNA, with aspects of psychology and sociology.

“I work to understand the social aspects of a disease and how the disease functions,” Claudia said. “With COVID-19, for example, we saw differences in how people and communities responded to maskwearing and quarantining. How people and cultures respond to disease plays a big part in how the disease spreads in a community and how it impacts public health.”

Claudia explained that culture plays a significant role in responding to diseases and outbreaks and making informed public health decisions. Epidemiologists must understand local cultures before making recommendations — whether responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2015 Zika virus, or the 2014 Ebola outbreak.

Recently, the interest in public health has grown, and Claudia has seen more students who are interested in public health careers.

“I see a change with what’s going on socially and globally and a push for public health,” Claudia said. “It’s a great alternative to medical school, and students have the opportunity to not necessarily work with one patient, but an entire community.”

Claudia draws on her own experiences when discussing career options with students. She never forgets that she was once in their shoes. She came to FHSU to pursue a pre-medical degree. But, after taking a class in the cadaver lab, she decided maybe that wasn’t the path for her. Thankfully, her advisor, Dr. Eric Gillock, professor of biological sciences, was there for her to talk things through and encourage her to continue her career in microbiology.

The mentoring relationship that Gillock and Claudia have is one of the reasons she came home to Fort Hays State. While working at Baylor University and teaching large classes of more than 300 students at a time, she realized she didn’t get to know and mentor her students in the same way that the faculty at FHSU had done for her.

“I wanted to talk to them,” Claudia said. “That was what was important to me when I was an undergrad, and I needed that mentorship relationship.”

In Albertson Hall, Claudia now leads a lab working on MRSA prevalence in the community, and a study that is exploring students’ understanding and perception of the COVID-19 virus and their willingness to accept COVID guidelines. In addition, she has a current research project with Dr. Medhavi Ambardar, assistant professor of biological sciences, on the dissemination of antibiotic resistance in migratory birds.

“There’s a big difference between the number of females we have in a class and the number of females working in a STEM field,” Claudia said. “Sometimes we graduate and find a good job and get in a comfort zone and don’t think about going further. It almost happened to me. I had what I needed, and it took speaking to my mentor at FHSU to tell me, ‘You can do this.’ You can do great things.”

“You have to look for role models, and sometimes that might be a woman in STEM, or a man, or maybe a woman in a completely different field,” Claudia said. “We need people to encourage others.”

Having it all

Goldwater Scholar, paleoecologist, and a future leader in STEM

As a child, Brynn Wooten convinced her parents to take a less-direct route on family trips to visit relatives in Texas so that she could visit the Sternberg Museum of Natural History in Hays. She loved exploring the animated replicas and fossil displays, imagining the prehistoric oceans that once sat atop modern Kansas.

“I’ve always loved science, biology, and paleontology,” Brynn said. “As time went on, I realized my love for paleontology wasn’t like most kids. I wanted to know more about the mass evolution of the Cambrian explosion, and the scientists I met were surprised by that. That’s when I realized I had a passion for learning about evolution and adaptive radiation and how niches in paleoecologies are filled.”

During her college search process, she learned of Sternberg Museum’s affiliation with Fort Hays State and immediately decided she wanted to become a Tiger.

“We visited over winter break, and I immediately fell in love,” Brynn said. “I knew this is where I needed to be.” Another reason Brynn chose to become a Tiger is the exceptional role models she found at FHSU.

“Dr. Laura Wilson is a big part of why I came here,” Brynn said. “She gave me a tour and talked about what she did here, and it was impactful to me. I’ve always worried about myself as a woman in science and geology, about not being seen as equal to others. Also, I was told that I wouldn’t have kids in this career, and if I did, I’d probably have to leave this career path. That kind of broke my heart at the time. Fortunately, Dr. Wilson was a great example that you can fight and have it all — a woman with a family and a career in science.” Wilson is associate professor of geosciences and geology chief curator at Sternberg Museum.

Brynn is a geosciences and biology major, and she is Fort Hays State University’s first Goldwater Scholar. The Barry Goldwater Scholarship is one of the nation’s oldest and most prestigious national scholarships in the natural sciences, engineering, and mathematics. The program seeks to identify and support college sophomores and juniors who show exceptional promise of becoming the next generation of research scientists — students like Brynn.

“She’s been interested in the sciences and paleontology throughout her life,” Dr. Wilson said. “She hasn’t been afraid or quiet to fight for what she wants and to not wait for opportunities to find her. Brynn sought-out opportunities for herself.”

When asked about her success thus far, Brynn humbly shared that her success wouldn’t have been possible without the faculty and mentors she has worked with growing up and at FHSU.

“I would like to especially thank Dr. Kevin Amidon, Dr. Lexey Bartlett, Dr. Lorelei Patrick, Drs. Jeanne and Jonathan Sumrall, and Dr. Laura Wilson,” Brynn said. “All of them were instrumental in helping me realize this dream.”

When most people think about paleontology, they think of dinosaurs. However, Brynn is fascinated by how mammals evolved after the Cretaceous–Paleogene (K–Pg) extinction — the great end of the dinosaurs more than 66 million years ago. The period from just before the K–Pg extinction to about a million years afterward is an enigma compared to what we know of other periods. Mammals were small, and there are few high-quality fossil records for researchers to analyze.

“The thing I love about paleontology and paleobiology is that it’s like working on a puzzle,” Brynn said. “We’re piecing together what we know of how animal and plant life changed, as we work to understand how that environment may have looked at that time. Then we can apply what we know to modern environments.” But Brynn and many other scientists hope that if we can better understand past extinction events like K-Pg by interpreting the few available fossil records, we can apply that knowledge to modern environments and prevent future extinction events from happening.