Implicit bias and self-advocacy

Grad school in physics can be hard for everyone, especially if you don't fit the physics mold. In this workshop, we will work together to find ways we can improve this situation. We will begin with a look at who studies physics (for instance Black, Latina and American Indian women were less than 1.5{\%} PhD completers from 2002-2012). Next we will look at the experiences of women of color who persisted despite the odds, including both the obstacles they faced (isolation and hostility) and their strategies for success. We will look at how implicit bias and stereotype threat contribute to this situation (and how to mitigate them), and at how growth mindsets can protect students. Workshop participants, in groups, will examine stories collected from women in STEM. Established physicists will think about actions they could take to prevent similar incidents at their institutions; students will brainstorm how they might handle similar situations, or support friends in doing so. Participants will leave with an understanding of the experiences of women of color in physics and concrete ideas about how to make things better.