APS Conferences for Undergraduate Women in Physics

American Physical Society, College Park MD

Investigators

Abstract

This award to the American Physical Society supports the Conferences for Undergraduate Women in Physics (CUWiP), held annually since 2006. The conferences have two overarching goals: 1) to give undergraduate women the resources, motivation, and confidence to apply to graduate school and to successfully complete a Ph.D. in physics or a related discipline; and 2) to increase awareness by undergraduate women in physics of the wide range of career opportunities available to them. Regional conferences are held simultaneously to maximize student attendance by minimizing travel, to increase the excitement of the participants in a joint national venture, and to allow the interactive simulcast of a keynote address. The project looks to evaluate self-efficacy beliefs, physics identity and outcome expectations of the participants. Through this research and the project evaluation, there is potential to gain new knowledge about the issues facing undergraduate women in physics, as well as how effective activities like these are. The project will advance our understanding of factors that impact the ability of female students to pursue undergraduate degrees in physics and have a positive impact on a population that remains underrepresented in physics.