Equal opportunities for women in science
In Science for 19 August there is a discussion by a group of academics in the US on the progress being made, slowly but surely, in ensuring that more women are represented in the field of science. The authors
point out that it is 25 years since the US Congress passed an equal
opportunity act stating that it was “the policy of the United
States that men and women have equal opportunity in education, training
and employment in scientific and technical fields”. Since then
there have been major advances, but academic institutions are still
not using the resource of women scientists they have trained.
Much has been discussed about the possible biological differences between
men and women that might affect their representation in science. The
evidence indicates that overall intelligence is no different in the two
sexes, but there is disagreement over the specific aspects of cognitive
ability that might differ between them. Successful scientists require
deductive reasoning abilities, verbal skills, ability to reason quantitatively,
intuition and social skills. Yet there are different approaches and styles
in science that are no less successful than others.
Innate ability, on the available evidence, does not limit the ability
to practise a scientific pursuit. Over some three decades the number
of PhDs granted to women in engineering increased 30-fold. Attitudes
and laws pertaining to gender changed dramatically during the same period.
There are moral and legal imperatives to ensure equal opportunities.
More than this, university studies have shown that working groups design
more innovative solutions to problems if they are heterogeneous rather
than homogeneous. And institutions that welcome women produce more favourable
working environments than those that operate a bar of some degree.
Some women scientists may not pursue an academic career because they
are discouraged from doing so, not because they are incapable. Some,
during their junior status, are sidetracked into institutional social
organisation rather than pursuing a career advancement.
Many women who abandon academia are conscious of hostility from colleagues
and a chilly perception on the campus. Exclusion from the departmental
community and its decision-making processes may induce a sense of isolation
that is vastly discouraging to a woman who already senses antagonism
or ridicule in her environment. Discrimination is often unconscious and
unintended, though harmful just the same. Awareness of a situation can
counteract the effect of bias, whether conscious or unconscious. Pressure
on time is unhelpful and adds to the tension.
Finally, there is the balance between work and the caring for a family
to be considered. Responsibility for children and ageing parents falls
disproportionately on women. Conflicts between personal and professional
life call for special counselling if they are to be resolved successfully.
Improvement requires a vigilant and widespread campaign for a batter
attitude to the problem of women in science.
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Pharmaceutical Journal
The eve of the Feast of All Saints in the Christian calendar has been called names such as Nutcrack Night and Hallowe'en, and is celebrated on 31 October. It used to be venerated
as the eve of Samhain, an ancient Celtic festival, and was the last day of the
year in the ancient calendar. During that night it was generally believed that
witches, warlocks, ghouls and other evil creatures were abroad looking for mischief.