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The Gender Gap in Science
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16331 |
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NATURAL SCIENCE
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| Issue
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3 / 1989 |
3,507 Words |
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Margaret A. Palmer
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In this age of rapid change, we face many serious problems. Scientific advancement is critical to our ability to cope with these problems. Despite the grave need for scientific talent, the United States is facing a serious shortage of scientists. Our present scientific pool is shrinking, and student interest in science is declining. It is urgent that we build up a strong scientific work force, reaching out to include groups that have been traditionally underrepresented in science and engineering.
Women are such a group--they are underpresneted in science despite the fact that they are a large fraction of our human resources. An increase in their participation can offset the expected shortfalls of scientists and engineers. If we do not act now to prevent a shortfall, we jeopardize our abilities to compete in the world market and maintain our standard of living. Health care, food production, and environmental management, just to name a few, will suffer if we do not maintain a strong scientific work force.
In addition to the need for a larger pool of scientific talent we need women scientists and engineers because of new or unique perspectives they may offer. The inclusion of new groups--whether they be women or minorities--should be embraced. Each individual brings new views, new visions, and new potential. With greater gender, and ethnic variation, we build into the system a potential for more diversified thinking and more inclusive scientific policies. As Caroline Herzenberg, president of the Association for Women in Science, recently pointed out: "Progress in science depends significantly on having a wide variety of individuals with various interests, backgrounds, and expertise. " Our world is becoming increasingly technological and increasingly complex. In such a world, a diverse scientific community will be a stronger scientific community.
By excluding women, we not only lose talent worldwide, but there is a loss at the individual level for women. The life of a scientist is stimulating and rewarding. It involves creative and disciplined thinking, independent and communal work, and continual learning, as well as the chance to make humanitarian, economic and practical contributions. In short, it is fulfilling way to spend one's life. All persons should have full access to such a life. When turned away from scientific careers, women often experience feelings of self-doubt, discouragement, and failure. Thus, the woman suffers on an individual level, and our society suffers a lost of scientific talent--potentially brilliance.
Who Are Our Scientists?
Currently scientists in the United States are typically male and white; women and minorities have been underrepresented in the sciences throughout history. According to the National Science Foundation, there are about four and a half million scientists and engineers employed in the United States--about 700,000 of these (15 percent) are women. Significantly fewer women are employed in industry or the federal government, as compared with educational institutions; and those women employed in academia are concentrated in the lowest positions as measured by rank and salary.
Men outnumber women in all areas of science, Women are least commonly employed in the physical sciences and engineering with a greater representation in the life sciences. In 1986, 13 percent of those
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