2025 Theses Doctoral

Authoring Science Identity in an All-girls Religious School: Exploring the Influence of Family, Teachers, and Culture

Abtan, Natalie

While female underrepresentation in STEM fields has been extensively documented, less is known about how adolescent girls in specific cultural contexts, such as all-female religious schools, develop positive science identities and imagine future science careers. This mixed-methods study explores how female high school students construct and experience their science identities within the intersecting contexts of school, family, and culture. Grounded in the Figured Worlds theoretical framework (Holland et al., 1998), the research investigates how students are positioned by others, how they author their own science narratives, and what cultural tools influence their engagement with science.

The primary data source consisted of in-depth semi-structured interviews with eight students across grades 9–12. The interview protocol was designed to elicit narratives of science interest, recognition, engagement, and aspiration. Interviews were analyzed thematically, guided by both theory-driven and emergent coding aligned with Figured Worlds constructs, including positioning, authoring, and cultural tools. To broaden the scope, a 20-item Likert-scale survey adapted from the Science Identity (SciID) Scale (Lockhart et al., 2022), was administered to the wider student body. Results from 124 female students indicated high interest and effort in science (e.g., M = 4.38, SD = 0.86, for “I work hard in science class”), but more tentative identification with science identity (e.g., M = 2.88, SD = 1.21, for “I see myself as a science person”).

Findings revealed the key theme of student-driven authoring of internal science narratives. It identified three identity trajectories: Confirmed (deep, stable identity), Developing (growing through support and challenge), and Exploratory (curious but noncommittal), that were shaped by factors including family encouragement, teacher validation, classroom tracking, and gendered expectations.

Three categories of influence were analyzed: (1) science identity formation through early family exposure; (2) the role of teachers and school structures in enabling or constraining recognition, and (3) gender and cultural expectations as both barriers and motivators. Survey results corroborated the interviews, indicating high overall science achievement with variability across identity status.

This study contributes to the growing literature on gender and STEM identity by centering the voices of young women navigating complex social and cultural terrains. It highlights the importance of recognition, access to cultural tools, and supportive environments in fostering inclusive science pathways. Implications are discussed for educators, school leaders, and STEM equity advocates interested in sustaining science identity development across diverse educational contexts.

Keywords: Science identity, figured worlds, female students, STEM education, high school, cultural tools, positioning, authoring, mixed methods, student voice