Progress for Women in Academic Science

November 1, 2009

Meeting Notes Progress for Women in Academic Science, but More Work to Do
By Audrey Williams June

Alexandria, Va.

At an annual meeting of professors and others who have received grants through the National Science Foundation's Advance program, which seeks to help increase the number of female scientists and engineers in academe, there was talk of how far gender equity in those disciplines has come, particularly on individual campuses.

Programs supported by more than $130-million in Advance grants have helped bring about new family-friendly university policies, networking groups, and mentor programs designed to retain women scientists and engineers—and, of course, science and engineering departments that include more women than ever before.

But even as the chilly climate for women in science and engineering has shown signs of thawing at some institutions, attendees at the meeting—now in its eighth year and held last week in partnership with the Association for Women in Science —also talked of unfinished business.

"I'm convinced that we have made some progress," said Freeman A. Hrabowski III, who is president of the University of Maryland-Baltimore County and was the keynote speaker at a town-hall meeting held during the event. "But we still have a lot of work to do."

At Maryland-Baltimore County in particular, a $3.2-million Advance grant awarded in 2003 made it possible for the institution to change the face of the faculty in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. For the first time, 54 percent of the assistant professors in those disciplines at Baltimore County are women, up from 27 percent in 2003. More women have joined the ranks of associate and full professors, too, although growth in those two groups isn't as marked.

Mr. Hrabowski, however, said that it's key to "get beyond the numbers and work on the attitudes" of people, including the department chairs, professors, and top administrators who play a key role in shaping a campus culture that makes recruiting and retaining female scientists and engineers possible. "You can't change attitudes unless you know what people really think," said Mr. Hrabowski, adding that he encourages open dialogue on his campus about issues related to diversifying the faculty and student body.

Sessions at the meeting covered topics that included the business case for diversity, resources for promoting gender equity, and managing department climate change. The climate in individual departments matters because "the department is where the rubber meets the road," said Sue V. Rosser, provost at San Francisco State University and a zoologist. That's where most professors "spend their lives," she said.

For institutions like Baltimore County, whose NSF grant money has run out, the task now is to continue the progress made. At a time when the economic downturn has pushed colleges to make hard choices about what to spend money on, "institutionalizing" the effects of an Advance grant can be tough—particularly if a change in leadership takes place. But attendees were urged to press ahead, even after their own Advance funds are exhausted.

"When you're writing your grant, think about, How will this end up?" Ms. Rosser said. "Think about where the funding will come from down the line."

Said Mr. Hrabowski: "Even when we're cutting the budget, we have to say we really believe in this, and we're going to keep doing it."