In the framework of the Pisa Masterclass of particle physics, each year a questionnaire is given to the students to assess if the Masterclass met a positive response. Together with specific questions about the various activities they took part in during the Masterclass day, we ask them if they would like to become a scientist.
They are offered 15 possible motivations for a ``yes'' or a ``no'' to choose from.
This year, in order to increase the statistics, we gave the same questionnaire also to groups of students attending the
Masterclass in other Italian universities. We expect this sample to be enriched in students interested in scientific disciplines.
On the other hand, we gave a reduced version of the questionnaire also to students attending the last year of high-school but
not taking part to the Masterclass. We expect this last sample to be enriched in students not necessarely interested in
scientific disciplines. The data have been analysed from a gender perspective.
With this study we try to investigate if male and female students have a different perception of scientific careers and to get
hints on how to intervene to correct the path that seems to naturally bring male students towards STEM disciplines
(science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) and reject female students from them.