Life after a Bachelor’s Degree in the Sciences:

Responses of Female University Students in the Southeastern

Region of Korea

July 20th 2011, ICWES15, AdelaideJung Sun Kim, Hee Jung Chang, Hye Young Park

July 20th 2011, ICWES15, AdelaideJung Sun Kim, Hee Jung Chang, Hye Young Park

The Southeastern Region of Korea

KOREAKOREA

•Gyeongsangnamdo

•Busan Metropolitan City: Second largest City in Korea

•Ulsan City

source : NIS-WIST & 교육통계연보 원자료 , 한국교육개발원 (2009)

Distribution of Female Highschool Graduates going into Science and Technology by Region in Korea (2009)

Seoul41.2%

ChungChung11.4%

Honam13.8%

DaeGyuong

11.8%

South-east18.7%

Kangwon2.4

Jeju0.8

Southeast

18.7% of all Female students in Science and Engineering arein the Southeast region in Korea (41.2% are in the Capital, Seoul)

Source : NIS-WIST & 교육통계연보 원자료 , 한국교육개발원 (2009)

% of Female Students in NaturalScienc/Engineering in each region in Korea (2009)

Southeast TotalSeoul

In the Southeast region in Korea, 32.5%of all female students go into Science and Engineering

Male/ Female Ratio of Students in NaturalScienc/Engineering in each region in Korea(2009)

source : NIS-WIST & 교육통계연보 원자료 , 한국교육개발원 (2009)

SoutheastSeoul Total

Male

Female

The male/female ratio of all students in Science and Engineering is 65.4:34.6 in the Southeast area

SESE

Women in S&T in the Southeast Region of Korea show high education attainment

Degree%Female in Science (no)

%Female in Engineering (no)

BS 59.9 (2,920) 18.1 (2,109)

MS 51.3 (264) 13.1 (135)

Ph.D. 36.8 (67) 10.1 (24)

Total 58.3 (3,251) 17.5 (2,268)

Source: BIS-WIST Policy Brief (2007)

동남권동남권

Compared to male engineers, female engineers have less Compared to male engineers, female engineers have less opportunities to work in large enterprisesopportunities to work in large enterprises

But…Low Economic Activity

Type of employment

Male EngineersFemale

Engineers

Large Enterprise 37.6 % * 26.1 %**

Medium / Small Enterprise 55.5 % * 64.2 %**

Remaining in Region 69.9 % 74.3 %

Ph.D. employment 66.9 % 27.3 %

* among all graduating class of male in Engineering**among all grduating class of female in Engineering

Source: BIS-WIST Policy Brief (2007)

동남권동남권

Women scientists have even lower opportunities than Women scientists have even lower opportunities than women engineerswomen engineers

Male Scientists

Female Scientists

Large Enterprise 26.5 % * 22.1 %**

Medium / Small Enterprise 62.3 % * 62.8 %**

Remaining in Region 56.5 % 83.9 %

Ph.D. employment 66.9 % 28.3%

* among all graduating class of male in Sciences**among all grduating class of female in Sciences

Source: BIS-WIST Policy Brief (2007)

BIS-WIST is located in Dongseo University, Busan, Korea

Empowerment of Regional Women in S&TEmpowerment of Regional Women in S&TImproving the Economic Activity Ratio of Women in S&TImproving the Economic Activity Ratio of Women in S&T

Enhancing the Economic Competitiveness within S&TEnhancing the Economic Competitiveness within S&T

Network HUB of Women in S&T in the South-East Region Network HUB of Women in S&T in the South-East Region

EmploymentEmploymentInformation Information

SupportSupport

PolicyPolicyResearchResearch

DevelopmentDevelopment

Networking ofNetworking ofWomen in S&TWomen in S&T

SupportSupport

EducationEducationSupportSupport

BIS–WIST’s Mission

The problem at stake ?

• Better job opportunities needed for Women with a BS in Science or Engineering in the Southeastern Region of Korea

• Most industries are deep rooted in male dominant culture

• The overall regional economy needs to be reshaped

What do women want?• Questionnaire type survey conducted on 400 female juniors

and seniors in science or engineering in the Southeastern region (2009)

• Women from 7 different universities in the Southeastern region participated

• A pre-run education program on Science Illustration was conducted over a 15 week period in 2010

• Participants answered the same questionnaire which was compared to the first one

Summary of Results of Survey (n=400)

Question Significant Results

Are you happy with your major field?12.8% were unhappy 87.2% were happy

Would you consider a career unrelated to Science or Engineering?

53.5% said Yes

Are you interested in Fine arts ? 46.8% said Yes

Would you be interested in a training program to become a Science Illustrator?

59.1% said Yes7.9% said Yes even if it does not guarantee a job

Good illustration can help communicate the complex scientificInformation accurately.Science illustration be a more universal means of communication.

The demand for science illustrators could increase---opens the door as new career opportunities for women scientists and engineers

Good illustration can help communicate the complex scientificInformation accurately.Science illustration be a more universal means of communication.

The demand for science illustrators could increase---opens the door as new career opportunities for women scientists and engineers

Why Science Illustration?

Experimental Attempt: A Course on Science Illustration

Q: Are you happy with your major field? (Random selection of students)

Q: Are you interested in fine arts or illustration?

Q: Would you participate in an illustration education program ?

1.Yes, if guaranteed a job2.Yes, if there is a possibility of

a job3.Yes, even if a job is not

guaranteed4.No, because it does not

guarantee a job5.No, even if a job is

gauranteed6.Other

Q: Do you think it is possible to converge science and fine arts?

Before After

Before After

Q: Do you think it is possible to converge your major with science?

What next?

• Need to formalize the education program to fit the need of women in S&T in the Busan, Ulsan and Gyeongnam region of Korea

• Get more professionals in IT and Illustration involved

• Seek the support of the Regional Government

• Publicize the SILL Program

Other Career development programs at BIS-WIST

• Career as a Science Communicator

• Career as a Science Communicators for Special Students

• Career in Food Technology : HACCP program

The BIS-WIST Family

Thank you.