Women in Science on the Air

This is a bit older but is an interesting compilation of podcasts about the role of women in science.

Women are getting nowhere fast

This is an editorial in the Journal of General Physiology about the lack of gender equity in the physiology community. It contains many useful statistics and links to the NIH databook.

Particularly interesting is this paragraph:

As a scientist who is a woman, I believe that my every professional step is affected by my gender. No matter where I am or what I do, my perception is that I am seen as a woman scientist rather than as a scientist. When I face rejection, I wonder whether gender bias played a role. When I succeed, I ask myself whether I have received favored treatment as a minority. In a conference room full of male speakers, I feel that I don’t belong. Yet I find it unbearable to be the token woman. Even institutional efforts meant to evaluate diversity issues in order to address them can problematize female gender, as does the title of the National Science Foundation Report, “Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities in Science and Engineering: 2013” (National Science Foundation ADVANCE Program, 2013). When I earned my PhD in 1993, I was not aware that I would be a pioneer. Hadn’t first- and second-wave feminism already transformed academic culture to create a level playing field and a welcoming culture? The data in Fig. 2 tell me that the burden of pioneering will be borne by female graduate students and postdoctoral fellows of today, as well as by those of the next decade, and the next, and the next.

Full Citation:

Sharona E. Gordon (2014) “Getting nowhere fast: The lack of gender equity in the physiology community” J. Gen. Physiol. 144: 103.

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How Stereotypes Can Drive Women to Quit Science

This is an NPR article covering a study in which they used “sound bite” snippets of conversations of women and men scientists at work. Analysis of the snippets suggested that women were not as engaged in scientific discussions with men as they were with other women. “Disengagement” was a predictor for the risk of dropping out.

The comments are also worth reading.

National Academy Study: Beyond Bias & Barriers

Beyond Bias and Barriers: Fulfilling the Potential of Women in Academic Science and Engineering

I think this should be required reading for all women in STEM.

In 2007, the National Academies of Science and Engineering published a seminal report on the status of women in STEM. This is still an extremely important and comprehensive report that – sadly – documented many barriers to women in STEM.

This report should be required reading for all faculty and graduate students. The findings in this report serve as one basis for initiating this blog and this series of workshops. If you do not have time to read the entire report, the Summary is only 12 pages long.

One reason I believe graduate students should especially read this report is because young women often do not believe that they are or will be discriminated against. This is entirely false for so many reasons. One study the PNAS report cites is that women often do not feel discrimination until they reach the level of associate professor.

The entire report is available free of charge online:

http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=11741

Spring 2015 Schedule

Background reading:

Beyond Bias and Barriers: Fulfilling the Potential of Women in Academic Science and Engineering (2007)

http://www.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=11741

January 20, 6pm, Jenkins 107: Expressions of emotion by women in the workplace diminish their status

Article: http://pss.sagepub.com/content/19/3/268.short

Can an angry woman get ahead? Status conferral, gender, and expression of emotion in the workplace (2008) Brescoll, V.L. & E.L. Uhlmann, Psychol Sci 19: 268-75.

March 24 , 6pm, Jenkins 107: Gender bias in letters of recommendation

April 21 , 6pm, Shaffer 100: Faculty Panel on Women in STEM.

Faculty participants will include:

Trina Schroer, Professor of Biology (JHU KSAS)

Dorothy Beckett, Professor of Chemistry (University of Maryland, College Park)

Jie Xiao, Associate Professor of Biophysics (JHMI)

Lori Graham-Brady, Professor of Civil Engineering (JHU WSE)

Christine Newman, Assistant Dean for Engineering Education (JHU WSE)

Oct 1, 2014 Workshop. Understanding Sources of Bias

This is the first workshop on Achieving Gender Equity in Science for Fall 2014. The entire schedule can be found here.

Both Men and Women Discriminate against Women in STEM

The first fall AGIS meeting on Oct 1, 2014 at 6 pm in Jenkins 107

The Oct 1 meeting will discuss the following article, which is a seminal study that shows that both men and women discriminate against young women in science:

Science faculty’s subtle gender biases favor male students (2012) Moss-Racusin, C.A., J.F. Dovidio, V.L. Brescoll, M.J. Graham, & J. Handelsman, Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 109: 16474-9

You may find it helpful to read the article in advance. It is available by open access from PNAS:

http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2012/09/14/1211286109

Pizza and beverages will be served. If you think you will attend, RSVP Karen so she can order enough pizza. It would be a bummer if we ran out of pizza!

Please spread the word about these workshops. Here is a printable flyer for the October meeting: AchievingGenderEquityFlyer