Women accounted for most of the growth in the number of science and engineering doctorates awarded in the United States between 2007 and 2008, according to the US National Science Foundation's 2008 Survey of Earned Doctorates (see http://go.nature.com/8HRei6). The report, released on 19 November, says that 32,827 science and engineering doctorates were awarded in 2008, up 3.2% from 2007. Of those, 12,959 — or 39.5% — were awarded to women, an increase of 5.7% or 699 over 2007 numbers. The number awarded to men rose to 19,845, an increase of 1.7%. The proportion awarded to women rose from 37.7% in 2003 to 39.5% in 2008; men's share dropped from 62.3% to 60.4%.