|
As an Engineering lecturer I have seen the number of females entering the Engineering u/g program increase steadily from less than 1% to over 8% presently - still too low but it is refelected in the traditional sciences at our uni. Interestingly the uni medal for best u/g engineering result has gone to a female for 6 of the last 7 years.
If I am forced to generalise I have found that the majority of the male students will study to remember that 2 +2 = 4 to pass exams while the majority of the feamles will want to know why it equals 4 and I have even had them argue that it shouldnt equal 4 or they want to know how I feel about it equaling 4.
My point is that while may have different operational centres in our brains (arguable) the female brain is definately suited to more pure scientific pursuits making the number imbalance due to other causes than the 'way' we think.
The good news is that the 10th observatory we have had built on our site at Leyburn was erected by a female with her husband last weekend. My long suffering wife is still smiling.
|