Women in STEM-Undergraduate Research Internship

Format: On Campus
Number of Interns: 2
Duration of Internship: 4-8 weeks
Start Date: 1 July 2025
End Date: 1 September 2025
Application Date: 31 May 2025
Project Supervisor: Assoc Prof Berna Zengin Arslan

Project Description:
Our TÜBİTAK 1001-funded research project at Özyeğin University, "Women in STEM Fields in the Republic and Turkey: A Sociological Analysis of the Last 30 Years" (project code: 323K440) aims to examine the representations, experiences, and transformations of women educated and working in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) fields in Turkey over the last 30 years. Using both qualitative and quantitative methods, the research seeks to provide an in-depth analysis of the factors that influence women's entry into STEM, the challenges they face in STEM fields, the professional dynamics that shape their careers, and the transformations of women's experiences over the past three decades. The project aims to develop science-based policy recommendations to increase women's employment in STEM fields and contribute to gender equality policies through the generation of data, analysis, and awareness. Over the course of two years, we will conduct semi-structured in-depth interviews with 120 women of different ages and professional groups in STEM fields in seven cities - Ankara, Istanbul, Izmir, Antalya, Gaziantep, Malatya, and Samsun - selected based on data from the Ministry of Industry and Technology. In addition, our project team will collect statistical data from reliable sources on women's participation in STEM education and employment. In later stages, the collected qualitative and quantitative data will be analyzed to build a comprehensive database on women's representation and experiences in STEM in Turkey.

Project Tasks:

• Conducting literature review on women in STEM fields
• Conducting interviews with participants from academia and industry
• Transcribing interviews and organizing qualitative data
• Assisting in data collection and preliminary analysis
• Engaging with project group discussions on women and STEM
• Developing academic writing and research skills through hands-on tasks

Requirements:

Enrollment in an undergraduate sociology, psychology, political science or anthropology programs,
GPA of 3.00 or higher,
Having an interest in gender studies
Having an interest in qualitative research methods

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