CHAPTER 23: Expecting Girls to be Poor in Math: Alternatively, Chance for a New Start

Janet Ferguson, federal Minister of Science and Technology, told a conference recently that “half-baked myths about their lack of mathematical ability are responsible for girls dropping out of sciences in high school.” Women from across Alberta heard the statement during a three-day conference sponsored by a university organization, Women in Scholarship, Engineering, Sciences, and Technology.

The minister said that during her travels through offices and campuses in Canada, she found “shockingly few women in professional and management positions” and that “girls need more opportunities to play with tools and explore their environments.” More than ever, women must understand the impact of technology. “We need to examine our behavior and think about the ideas we’re giving to our daughters. … Today, every human is living a life that is drastically altered every minute by science and technology,” Ferguson said.