The Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian
The Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian
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Gerhard Sonnert

Center for Astrophysics
Research Associate, Lecturer
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Gerhard Sonnert
gsonnert@cfa.harvard.edu

About

I am a sociologist of science. In the Science Education Department, I have worked on several large empirical studies in STEM education, and particularly about gender aspects in STEM. I also teach a course on astrosociology in the Astronomy Department. Before coming to the CfA in 2006, I was at the Harvard Physics Department and carried out a major project about the situation of women in science, which resulted in two books, Gender Differences in Science Careers, and Who Succeeds in Science?: The Gender Dimension, both 1995, with G. Holton. My other interests include science policy (Ivory Bridges: Connecting Science and Society, 2002, with G. Holton), history of science (Einstein and Culture, 2005), and migration (What Happened to the Children Who Fled Nazi Persecution, 2006, with G. Holton).

Projects

Factors Influencing College Success in STEM (FICS)

Science Education Department
The United States sets educational standards for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) in elementary and secondary schools, but preparation for college-level STEM classes varies a lot among students entering university. Owing to a host of background factors, many students may struggle in university introductory science courses and end up feeling discouraged from pursuing STEM degrees and careers. The Science Education Department (SED) at the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian has conducted several ongoing large-scale empirical studies, collectively titled “Factors Influencing College Success in STEM”. These studies look at measurable factors that predict student performance in introductory university STEM classes.
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Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs)

Science Education Department
For a number of years, many universities have offered massive open online courses (MOOCs) in addition to traditional in-person classes. MOOCs are designed for much larger numbers of students than normal online classes and encourage students to enroll from outside the university. However, little research exists on how MOOCs compare with ordinary classes in terms of student experience and performance. One major issue is that large numbers of students who start these courses do not complete them. To better understand the reasons behind the high attrition rates, the Science Education Department (SED) of the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian is engaged in two large-scale studies of two MOOCs offered by Harvard University.
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Persistence in STEM (PRiSE)

Science Education Department
The United States consistently has too few science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) professionals to support the present and future American high-tech economy. The Science Education Department (SED) of the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian has conducted a set of large studies, collectively named “Persistence in STEM”, to identify the factors affecting students’ interest in science and related fields. Based on survey responses from thousands of students in many colleges and universities across the United States, the “Persistence in STEM” studies investigate both what encourages and discourages potential STEM majors and professionals.
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