Investigating High School Students’ Perception of Careers and Diversity Issues Within Physics

Abstract

A learner’s perception of what a career in physics is like has a major impact on their decision to pursue physics professionally. This decision can also be influenced by a high school student’s awareness of issues concerning diversity within the physics community. We surveyed current high school physics students and investigated their perception of physics careers and knowledge of diversity issues within the field. When we explored student responses, we found that students are generally unaware of the variety of careers available within physics. In addition, we see that many students are uninformed about issues regarding diversity within the physics community. Furthermore, we found physics teachers can have a noticeable impact on how students perceive these issues.