(In)visible Witnesses:Young peopleâ•Žs views of images of scientists,technologists, engineers and mathematicianson UK childrenâ•Žs television from a genderperspective (Research Briefing)

people's, particularly girls', images of scientists, technologists, engineers and mathematicians (STEM) are constructed. Studies have examined how children's views of science and scientists develop as they grow up and why girls' (and boys') participation in school science declines with age. Key factors include a decline in many girls' self-belief in their abilities in science, particularly the physical sciences, as they grow older. In addition many girls reject the stereotypically masculine images of science and scientists as one that they could adopt for themselves. The images of STEM that some girls (and some boys) are uncomfortable with are still pervasive and do not evolve from the educational environment alone.