A Longitudinal Study of the Educational Paths of High Achievers in Science

该项目有两个目标：(1)维护和扩展一个现有数据库，该数据库包含大量数学早熟青年的纵向信息；(2)开展若干研究，以确定青年学生，特别是女学生的特征，这些特征与以后几年在数学和科学方面的高成就密切相关--并协同作用。数据库的扩展将包括以下新信息：(1)关于特定早期队列的大学毕业后数据；(2)关于年轻队列的高中毕业后数据；(3)非受访者对早期调查的跟踪；(4)来自不同文化背景的天才学生的新队列的数据；(5)作为各种研究的对照的平均能力的新队列的数据；(6)高成就研究生队列的回顾数据。新的研究将探索：(1)与有数学天赋的女性在数学/科学职业道路上坚持不懈相关的因素；(2)与女性在科学和/或数学方面的抱负降低有关的因素：(3)导致高中数学成绩较高的学生选择科学和/或数学职业的因素之间的协同作用；(4)课外活动对早熟青年数学/科学成就的影响：(5)人格特征对早熟青年数学/科学成就的影响；(6)数学特长生对数学和科学的态度。

This project has two goals: (1) to maintain and extend an existing database containing longitudinal information on large numbers of mathematically precocious youth; (2) to conduct several studies to identify characteristics of young students, particularly female students, that correlate strongly - and synergistically - with high achievement in mathematics and science in later years. The extension of the database will include the following new information: (1) After-college data on a particular early cohort; (2) After-high-school data on a younger cohort; (3) Follow-up of nonrespondents to earlier surveys; (4) Data on a new cohort of gifted students from culturally diverse backgrounds; (5) Data on a new cohort of average ability students to serve as controls for various studies; (6) Retrospective data on a high achieving graduate student cohort. The new studies will explore: (1) Factors relating to persistence in math/science career paths by mathematically talented females; (2) Factors that relate to females lowering their aspirations in science and/or mathematics; (3) Synergism among factors that cause high math achievers in high school to select careers in science and/or mathematics; (4) The impact of extracurricular activities on the math/ science achievements of precocious youth; (5) The impact of personality characteristics on the math/ science achievements of precocious youth; (6) The attitudes of mathematically gifted students toward mathematics and science.