Women, Work and the Academy: Strategies for Responding to 'Post-Civil Rights Era' Gender Discrimination

Women, Work and the Academy > Executive Summaries > Donna J. Nelson

Summary of Research and Intervention Strategies

Dr. Donna J. Nelson, Department of Chemistry, University of Oklahoma

Recently (FY2001 - FY2004), we surveyed the race/ethnicity, gender, and rank of top research faculties in each of 14 science and engineering disciplines (chemistry, physics, math, chemical engineering, civil engineering, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, computer science, political science, sociology, economics, biological sciences, and psychology). In each discipline, the departments surveyed were the "top 50", ranked by NSF according to that discipline's research expenditures. Comparing her faculty data against NSF-compiled PhD and BS attainment data for each discipline revealed that generally, the representation of females and underrepresented minorities on the faculties is much less than that in either PhD or BS attainment. These faculty data are the first obtained which are disaggregated by discipline, by race/ethnicity, by gender, and by rank. They were obtained simultaneously and by a consistent protocol and are therefore comparable across a large number of disciplines. For chemistry and chemical engineering faculties, additional data for national origin were obtained and revealed that recently, more international scientists are hired as faculty than US females and US minorities combined.

Data in Table 1 reveal a great disparity between the representations of women among BS recipients versus among faculty in the same discipline; this demonstrates that female science majors often lack sufficient female role models and mentors.

chart 1

Data in Table 2 compare the representation of women among PhD recipients versus among assistant professors in the same discipline. This reveals that in most science disciplines, the pipeline is underutilized. However, there are some exceptions, with a better match between PhDs and assistant professors, in social sciences, engineering, physics, and astronomy.

chart 2

Our data reveal that underrepresented groups in different science disciplines do not face the same challenges, and so the sciences should not be regarded as one group when formulating solutions. However, similarities among sciences reveal patterns, which should reduce the enormity of the problem and yet enable targeted strategies.

We share our data with anyone requesting them, such as professional societies, universities, and federal agencies. However, we have worked mostly with the US Congress and other DC organizations.