Ms. Magazine on Why So Few
Dear Friends of Women in Science,
On December 10, Kristen Levithan of Ms remembered Marie Curie's second Nobel prize exactly 100 years later by asking the AAUW question: Why So Few?
First, she reviewed Sklodowska-Curie's accomplishments, and we should stop to do that too. She was the first woman to earn a doctorate in France, the first woman faculty member at the Sorbonne, and the first woman with a recognition by the Pantheon for her own work. But the French Academy would not elect her because she was a woman. They elected no woman until 1962. There have been only two women chosen for the Nobel Prize in Physics and four in Chemistry; she won in both categories. She is still the only person to have won in these two categories.
Citing the Why So Few report of AAUW extensively, Levithan noted that women still have climbing to do to become accepted in STEM fields. She pointed out that the Nobel Prizes for 2011 in physics, chemistry, and medicine all went to men. Last year too. We surely agree, although we know that women are sometimes selected in sciences; in 2009 there were three women chosen, Elizabeth Blackburn, Carol Greider, and Ada Yonath.
We've had the privilege of having Christianne Corbet selecting highlights from the study for our forum in 2011. Because of the extensive studies cited in Why So Few, Levitan concludes by urging more cultural support for women because that's the missing factor that explains the low numbers.
Is there a cultural barrier at your own location that you can try to push back this year?
best,
Laura
why do women need mentoring, while men do not?
Will you say that men DO receive mentoring from senior men? (so ALL people need mentoring to some degree and my question is moot)
Will you say that the senior male/junior female dynamic is fraught with subliminal overtones that lead to insecurity of both?
I think that the answer is in mono-ed
We've been considering a mentoring program for junior faculty. I will get behind it and insist that the mentors be from cognate fields. We've already agreed they won't be from the same department as the junior faculty member.
Great idea, Melissa. I can do that at Pomona too. We also haven't seen it for a long time. Even if they only released it to the Affirmative Action Committee it would be a step in the right direction.
cheers,
Laura
Hi Laura,
Nice provocative question for the new year. Yes, I can think of something. I will do my best to see that the administration releases comparative men's and women's salaries at different levels here. We haven't seen such data for years.
MKS
