Academic chemistry is haemorrhaging talented female researchers. However, a barrage of new initiatives aims to stem the flood.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Access Nature and 54 other Nature Portfolio journals
Get Nature+, our best-value online-access subscription
$29.99 / 30 days
cancel any time
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 12 digital issues and online access to articles
$119.00 per year
only $9.92 per issue
Rent or buy this article
Get just this article for as long as you need it
$39.95
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

References
Royal Society of Chemistry. Diversity landscape of the chemical sciences. RSC http://www.rsc.org/globalassets/02-about-us/our-strategy/inclusion-diversity/cm-044-17_a4-diversity-landscape-of-the-chemical-sciences-report_web-2.pdf (2018).
National Science Foundation. Women, minorities, and persons with disabilities in science and engineering: data tables. NSF https://www.nsf.gov/statistics/2017/nsf17310/data.cfm (2017).
Open Chemistry Collaborative in Diversity Equity. Demographics data: gender 2014–15. OXIDE http://oxide.jhu.edu/2/Gender_2014-15 (2019).
Gesellschaft Deutscher Chemiker. Juniorprofessur statt habilitation? [German]. GDCh https://www.gdch.de/fileadmin/downloads/Ausbildung_und_Karriere/Karriere/PDF/2017_NCh_GDCh_Habilumfage_2016.pdf (2017).
Gesellschaft Deutscher Chemiker. Statistik der chemiestudiengänge 2017: eine umfrage der GDCh zu chemiestudiengängen an universitäten und hochschulen in Deutschland [German]. GDCh https://www.gdch.de/fileadmin/downloads/Ausbildung_und_Karriere/Karriere/Statistik/2017_Statistik_web.pdf (2018).
The Royal Australian Chemical Institute. Women in the science research workforce. raci https://www.raci.org.au/theraci/advocacy/women-in-the-science-research-workforce (2019).
Royal Society of Chemistry. Breaking the barriers: women’s retention and progression in the chemical sciences. RSC http://www.rsc.org/globalassets/02-about-us/our-strategy/inclusion-diversity/womens-progression/media-pack/v18_vo_inclusion-and-diversity-_womans-progression_report-web-.pdf (2018).
Ma, Y. et al. Women who win prizes get less money and prestige. Nature 565, 287–288 (2019).
US National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. Sexual harassment of women: climate, culture, and consequences in academic sciences, engineering, and medicine (2018). National Academies http://sites.nationalacademies.org/shstudy/index.htm (2018).
The Gender Equality Taskforce. Accelerating gender equality in Irish higher education institutions: gender action plan 2018–2020. HEA http://hea.ie/assets/uploads/2018/11/Gender-Equality-Taskforce-Action-Plan-2018-2020.pdf (2018).
Grogan, K. E. How the entire scientific community can confront gender bias in the workplace. Nat. Eco. Evol. 3, 3–6 (2019).
Valian, V. Two Nobels for women - why so slow? Nature 562, 165 (2018).
The Royal Society of Edinburgh. Tapping all our talents review 2018: women in STEM. RSE https://www.rse.org.uk/inquiries/womeninstem-2018 (2018).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Related links
Kimberly Woznack: https://www.calu.edu/inside/faculty-staff/profiles/kimberly-woznack.aspx
Randall Peterson: https://www.london.edu/faculty-and-research/faculty/profiles/p/peterson-r-s
Michelle Coote: http://rsc.anu.edu.au/~mcoote/
Polly Arnold: http://www.chem.ed.ac.uk/staff/academic-staff/professor-polly-l-arnold-frs
Cathleen Crudden: https://www.chem.queensu.ca/crudden-cathleen
National Science Foundation’s (NSF’s) ADVANCE program: https://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=5383
Dorothy Hodgkin fellowships: https://royalsociety.org/grants-schemes-awards/grants/dorothy-hodgkin-fellowship/
Daphne Jackson Trust: https://daphnejackson.org/
Jihong Yu: https://synlab.jlu.edu.cn/en/2013/11/1776.html
Diversify Chemistry: https://diversifychemistry.com/
Equal opportunities commission at the German Chemical Society (GDCh): https://www.gdch.de/gdch/kommissionen-und-kuratorien/chancengleichheit-in-der-chemie.html
Lesley Yellowlees: http://www.chem.ed.ac.uk/staff/academic-staff/professor-lesley-yellowlees
Karen Salt: https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/clas/people/karen.salt
Inclusion Matters programme: https://epsrc.ukri.org/newsevents/news/inclusionmatters/
Athena SWAN (Scientific Women’s Academic Network): https://www.ecu.ac.uk/equality-charters/athena-swan/about-athena-swan/
SEA Change: https://seachange.aaas.org/about/
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Peplow, M. Women’s work. Nat Rev Chem 3, 283–286 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41570-019-0098-y
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41570-019-0098-y
This article is cited by
-
Let’s fix the system, not the scientists
Nature Reviews Materials (2020)