What factors contribute to the development of gifted female scientists?

This chapter explores the development of gifted females in science with insights derived from two case studies. American studies reveal that scientifically competent women are especially interested in biology, chemistry, medicine and healthcare rather than in physics, computer science and engineering. Both women are high achievers in mathematics and have had additional learning experiences in science and mathematics outside school. International co-operation was identified as the single most influential factor for academic success – for both males and females. The chapter reviews the research on factors influencing mathematical talent, including Olympiad competitions and summer camps. It introduces the two qualitative case studies on gifted females of different ages and from different cultural backgrounds and discuss each. It identifies and reflects on gender-specific and gender-invariant factors in the development of gifted scientists. Finally, it discusses the challenges of attracting and keeping gifted females in science fields and offers some recommendations to teachers and educators.