RT Journal Article ID 5afc344c663210dd A1 Sax, Linda J. A1 Lim, Gloria A1 Lehman, Kathleen A1 Lonje-Paulson, Laura T1 REVERSAL OF THE GENDER GAP: THE BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES AS A UNIQUE CASE WITHIN SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND MATHEMATICS (STEM) JF Journal of Women and Minorities in Science and Engineering JO JWM YR 2018 FD 2018-11-21 VO 24 IS 4 SP 291 OP 324 K1 STEM K1 gender K1 biological sciences K1 college major K1 undergraduate K1 major selection AB Among fields in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), the field of biological sciences is unique in that it has evidenced a reversal of the gender gap in participation. Women are no longer underrepresented in the biological sciences degree programs, earning more than half of undergraduate degrees in these fields in 2016 (National Center for Education Statistics, 2018). Despite women's heightened interest in the biomedical fields, little is known about the backgrounds, characteristics, and personality orientations of undergraduates who major in biological sciences or how this differs by gender. Utilizing national data spanning four decades, this study furthers our understanding of the biological sciences talent pool in the following ways: (1) it explores differences in the characteristics of women and men who plan to major in the biological sciences, and (2) examines how this population has evolved over time. The results of this study reveal the types of students who are attracted to biological science majors (e.g., having a parent in a STEM career or having PhD degree aspirations) and show that the salience of some of these traits (e.g., race and self-rated math ability) vary by gender and have shifted over time. PB Begell House LK https://www.dl.begellhouse.com/journals/00551c876cc2f027,024da55e7e21d2ce,5afc344c663210dd.html