Students from Eastern countries score well on international assessments in science yet lack interest in pursuing science careers. Several factors play into students' perceptions of science and scientists, including their home life and attributes of the society in which they live (habitus and capital). One understudied means of examining this issue…

Gender-matched role models are often proposed as a mechanism to increase identification with science among girls, with the ultimate aim of broadening participation in science. While there is a great deal of evidence suggesting that role models can be effective, there is mixed support in the literature for the importance of gender matching. We used…