Women in Science & EngineeringWhat Do We Know?Where Do We Go?

Jane Zimmer DanielsThe Henry Luce Foundation

Summary

JZD Perspective

The Clare Boothe Luce Program

What Do We Know (1960’s-present)

Future Directions

My Perspective

Academic preparation – Sociology, Counseling, Organizational Behavior

Director, Women in Engineering Program at Purdue University (20+ years)

NSF Program Director (2 years)

Program Director for the Henry Luce Foundation (5+ years)

The Clare Boothe Luce Program

Established in 1987 by the generous bequest of Clare Boothe Luce “to encourage women to enter, study, and teach” in fields where there have been obstacles to their advancement — the sciences (including mathematics) and engineering.

Photograph courtesy of Chas Geer Photography © 1985

The Clare Boothe Luce ProgramGoals

Support women who are studying or teaching in the sciences and engineering

Be a catalyst for institutional change so that women can thrive and reach their full potential

The Clare Boothe Luce Program1468 women recipients - >$106M

*Approximately $6.5 M annually – 58% to Designated Institutions and 42% to Invited Institutions

Why Make an Effort

It’s the “right” thing to do

It’s the “legal” thing to do

It helps the U.S. be competitive

It improves the professions

What Do We Do

Before 1960s – no women, no one cared

1970s and 1980s – few women, find them and fix them

2000 – a few more women, fix the system so women are attracted and retained

1 Includes earth, atmospheric, and ocean sciences, as well as physics, astronomy and chemistry.

Source: CPST, data derived from NSF, Science and Engineering Degrees: 1992-2001

BACHELOR'S DEGREES IN SCIENCE AND ENGINEERINGBY FIELD AND SEX 1992 to 2001

(U.S. Citizens and Permanent Residents Only)

Total Women % W Total Women % W Total Women % W

1992 57,675 9,157 15.9 22,880 6,629 29.0 16,469 5,420 32.9

2001 54,725 11,110 20.3 38,530 10,517 27.3 17,524 7,285 41.6

Engineering

Physical

Sciences1ComputerScience

Total Women % W Total Women % W

1992 14,259 6,694 46.9 42,842 22,214 51.9

2001 11,314 5,436 48.0 60,538 36,143 59.7

MathematicalScience

BiologicalSciences

DOCTORAL SCIENTISTS AND ENGINEERS EMPLOYED INFOUR-YEAR COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES BY FIELD OF

DOCTORATE, ACADEMIC RANK AND SEX, 2001

Source: CPST, data derived from National Science Foundation, 2001 Survey of Doctorate Recipients and Science and Engineering Doctorate Awards, 2001

Field of Doctorateand Sex

AssistantProfessors

AssociateProfessors

FullProfessors

Biological and Agricultural Sci. 14,140 13,740 22,330 % Men 64.1 71.0 83.6 % Women 35.9 29.0 16.4 Computer & Info. Sciences 920 1,710 770 % Men 74.4 79.9 83.4 % Women 25.6 20.1 16.6 Mathematical Sciences 2,480 3,740 6,720 % Men 74.2 84.2 91.3 % Women 25.8 15.8 8.7 Physical and Related Sci. 5,710 6,600 13,760 % Men 75.1 83.5 93.6 % Women 24.9 16.5 6.4 Engineering 4,900 6,140 11,270 % Men 85.1 90.6 97.2 % Women 14.9 9.4 2.8

Institutional Response to Identified Issues for Women Faculty

Move Toward Balance – greater flexibility and individual control

Widen Paths to Success – self-study & policy review to discover impediments and increase options

Examine the Environment – women’s culture vs. traditional scientists’ culture

Effective Strategies for StudentRecruitment and Retention

(institution focused)

Curricular (CMU, EPICS)

Teaching and LearningContext

Gendered language

Pedagogy (wait time, teams, attention)

Policies and Practices (admissions, merit awards, placement)

The Culture

Policy: A Continuum

Education (K-12)Curriculum/Standards – MA/NJ/?Counseling

College Admissions-Scholarships

Hiring, Promotion, TenureBabcock & Lashever – Women Don’t AskValian – Why So Slow

Gender SchemaCumulative Disadvantage

Moody – Rising Above Cognitive Errors and Helping Junior Faculty SucceedCOACH – WELI

Policy: A Continuum(continued)

National Recognition/Awards

Administration – composition & knowledge

Issues

How do we create institutional change to improve the educational and work experience for women and men from diverse cultures and experiences

What legal challenges will there be to proactive support for females and how will we deal with them

Resources

AWE website www.aweonline.org – assessment and tracking tools and more

New Formulas for America’s Workforce Girls in Science and Engineering (NSF 03-208 – Results from 211 NSF sponsored projects related to gender)

Balancing the Equation (appendices) National Council for Research on Women

Annotated bibliography on Society of Women Engineers website www.swe.org

Resources

ADVANCE – www.advance-portal.net

Standing Our Ground – A Guidebook for STEM Educators in the Post-Michigan Era (AAAS & NACME)

Women in Academia – Institutional Change to Enhance Success (Purdue University May 2005)

Resources (Pre-college)

Women’s Adventures in Science (Scholastic Press)

www.iwaswondering.org

Changing Our World – True Stories of Women Engineers (American Society of Civil Engineers)

www.engineergirl.org