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• Date of publication Nov 02, 2020 Category: Article

  Masculine public image of six scientific fields in Japan: physics, chemistry, mechanical engineering, information science, mathematics, and biology

  by Yuko Ikkatai , Azusa Minamizaki , Kei Kano , Atsushi Inoue , Euan McKay , Hiromi M. Yokoyama

  U.S. and other publics perceive STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) fields as masculine and scientist as a male occupation, but Japanese public perception remains unstudied. Using an online survey, we identified keywords associated with physics, chemistry, mechanical engineering, information science, biology, and mathematics. A second online survey showed that the Japanese public perceived both keywords and fields as masculine. This trend was stronger in individuals with less egalitarian attitudes towards gender roles. We suggest that attitude towards gender roles contributes to the masculine image of science in Japan.

  Volume 19 • Issue 06 • 2020

• Date of publication Mar 09, 2020 Category: Article

  Gender-biased public perception of STEM fields, focusing on the influence of egalitarian attitudes toward gender roles

  by Yuko Ikkatai , Azusa Minamizaki , Kei Kano , Atsushi Inoue , Euan McKay , Hiromi M. Yokoyama

  Many studies have examined the impression that the general public has of science and how this can prevent girls from choosing science fields. Using an online questionnaire, we investigated whether the public perception of several academic fields was gender-biased in Japan. First, we found the gender-bias gap in public perceptions was largest in nursing and mechanical engineering. Second, people who have a low level of egalitarian attitudes toward gender roles perceived that nursing was suitable for women. Third, people who have a low level of egalitarian attitudes perceived that many STEM fields are suitable for men. This suggests that gender-biased perceptions toward academic fields can still be found in Japan.

  Volume 19 • Issue 01 • 2020

• Date of publication Aug 06, 2018 Category: Article

  Science created by crowds: a case study of science crowdfunding in Japan

  by Yuko Ikkatai , Euan McKay , Hiromi M. Yokoyama

  “Science crowdfunding” is a research funding system in which members of the public make small financial contributions towards a research project via the Internet. We compared the more common research process involving public research funding with science crowdfunding. In the former, academic-peer communities review the research carried out whereas the Crowd Community, an aggregation of backers, carries out this function in the latter. In this paper, we propose that science crowdfunding can be successfully used to generate “crowd-supported science” by means of this Crowd Community.

  Volume 17 • Issue 03 • 2018