Nationally, the scarcity of American students interested in going into STEM fields (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) is a cause for concern. Women and minority students could help make up this deficit – but only if they are welcomed. Numerous studies have documented the existence of a “chilly” interpersonal climate in STEM fields (see the CIRTL Diversity Resources Literature Review for specific references), but studies also show that in classrooms where students are working together well, women and minority students feel more at home.