TRACK: Equity in Science and Technology TITLE: Overcoming Gender Stereotypes: Girls in Science, Engineering, and Technology DATE: Friday, February 17, 2006 TIME: 8:30 AM - 10:00 AM ORGANIZERS: Jocelyn Steinke, Western Michigan University; Marilee Long, Colorado State University   PARTICIPANTS:   * = invited, not yet confirmed. Marilee Long (Moderator), Colorado State University Jocelyn Steinke (Speaker), Western Michigan University Media Influences and Girls’ Perceptions of Science and Engineering Tam O'Shaughnessy (Speaker), Sally Ride Science and San Diego State University Reaching Parents of Elementary and Middle School Girls Penelope Espinoza (Speaker), University of Texas, El Paso Teaching Gender Equity in Mathematics and Science Amy Baylor (Speaker), Florida State University Challenging Stereotypes Toward Engineering with Pedagogical Agents AVAILABLE ABSTRACTS: No available abstracts. SYNOPSIS: Despite the many advances in increasing the representation of women in science, engineering, and technology, one of the challenges that still remains is determining how to develop young girls’ interest during their formative years of career decision making. Recent research highlights the importance of early intervention in reducing gender stereotyping in order to promote girls’ interests. While many girls begin to lose interest in science, engineering, and technology during the middle-school years as they become more aware of traditional gender roles and experience a heightened concern about social expectations, several efforts to reduce gender-stereotyping in girls at this age have been found to be effective. This session features research that identifies important ways in which parents, teachers, and the media -- all shown to be important sources of influence on girls’ perceptions of science -- can break down existing gender stereotypes that keep many girls from pursuing technical or scientific careers. Speakers will identify new strategies for building a more diverse workforce in the future that will provide more varied perspectives needed to develop new questions, approaches, practices, and interpretations in science, engineering, and technology.