Although national data indicates the number of female students in scientific majors is significantly lower than the number of male students, LSU officials say female students are well-represented in University departments.
According to information from the College Board and the National Science Foundation, female students nationwide represent less than half of the total number of students pursuing degrees in scientific fields, including engineering and physical science.
However, LSU officials said the numbers of male and female students in science fields at LSU are nearly equal.
College of Engineering Associate Dean Mehmet Tumay said the college is doing everything possible to help recruit female students, and the number of female students in the college has steadily increased in recent years.
Tumay said since 1998, the number of female students in the college has continually risen, even as overall enrollment numbers for the college have decreased.
Tumay said the enrollment numbers are one “good indicator” that female students are more “on par” with male students in the field.
In addition, Tumay said another good indicator of female presence in the college is that more female students are receiving assistantships and fellowships in engineering.
Linda Allen, the undergraduate adviser for the Department of Chemistry, said the number of male and female students in the department is about equal.
Allen said the department does not do anything specific to recruit female students to chemistry, because the department is not seeing any disadvantages toward female students.
Also, Allen said female students in the department remain competitive with male students, and female students have won more top awards in chemistry than male students.
Martha Cedotal, assistant dean of the College of Basic Sciences, said the ratio of female to male students is virtually equal.
Cedotal said that for the current semester, 49.25 percent of students in the college are female, and 50.74 percent are male.
Cedotal said the numbers have been similar for the past few years.
In addition, Cedotal said female students are performing just as well as male students within the college.
Cedotal said out of 21 students from the college who were University medalists for the 2002-2003 academic year, 10 were male and 11 were female.
“Our female students are performing just as beautifully as the male students,” Cedotal said.
College of Basic Sciences Interim Dean Kevin Carman said these numbers indicate female students are increasingly competitive with male students in scientific areas.
“Clearly, any lingering stereotypes that women cannot compete with men in the field of science are pure fiction,” Carman said.