Newsgroups: sci.virtual-worlds
Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!batcomputer!cornell!uw-beaver!milton!hlab
From: harold@cup.portal.com (Harold Miller)
Subject: Re: Where are the Women?
Message-ID: <1991Mar30.030347.2001@milton.u.washington.edu>
Sender: hlab@milton.u.washington.edu (Human Int. Technology Lab)
Organization: Human Interface Technology Lab, Univ. of Wash., Seattle.
Date: Thu, 28 Mar 91 00:07:44 PST
Approved: cyberoid@milton.u.washington.edu



As a high school technology teacher, I see the sharp drop in female
participation and interest somewhere in the 8th-9th grade...prior to
that, the girls (in 6th grade for example) are every bit as enthusiastic
as the boys are..but then the reaize that technology is for the boys, plus
they don't want to appear to brainy...this decision affects their
knowledge base at such an early age, that they never do go back into
technology, the sciences, etc..and we all suffer because of it.

Sigh.

Harold Miller
Seabury Hall HS
Maui, Hawaii
harold@cup.portal.com


[MODERATOR'S NOTE:  Sadly, as comments my wife, the neuropharmacologist,
there is increasing evidence that the brain grows and develops in those
areas where it is put to more continuous use.  If one was not exposed to
VR or science in general -- regardless of gender -- would that perhaps
result in a lack of development within the actual cell mass used to
sustain that particular type of neurological stimulation? -- Bob J.]