New NSF Report on Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities
Dear friends of women in science,
The NSF recently released it biennial report, Women Minroities, and Persons with Disbilities in Science and Engineering, based on data from 2010. The data came from surveys done by National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics. These reports are mandated by the Science and Engineering Equal Opportunities Act of 1980. The primary author, Jaquelina Falkenheim of NSF, said, "The trends are very slow. I wouldn't say there's anything radically different from two years ago," as quoted in a March 5 article by Michael Price in ScienceCareers, a service of AAAS. A principal finding is that underrepresented minorities' share of full professorships has barely improved in almost 20 years.
As of 2010, Underrepresented Minorities (URMs in the NSF parlance) earned 7% of all doctoral degrees in STEM fields, the same as in 2000, while some growth in percentages of URMs among masters degree grantees was seen. In terms of career advancement, unemployment had increased in 2010 compared to 2000, particularly for URMs. Most of the effect was seen among Asian women, who were more likely to claim that family responsibilities had taken them out of the work force. Data show that about half of all STEM workers are white males, 18% are white women. Asian women are 5%. The remainder are men who are not in the white category and the few women from non-Asian URMs.
In academia, the situation is worse for diversity. 75% of the faculty members are white men at 40year colleges and universities. Research faculties at universities are 73% white men. In 1993, 4% of full professors at all institutions, and only 2.5% at Research I universities were URMs. By 2010, these numbers had barely increased, to 6% and 4%.
The salary data were also of interest. The group found to have highest median salaries 13-14 years post-PhD were Asian men at $93,000. Next was white men at $83,000, with white women, Asian women, and URM men and women at about $75,000. It is odd that the URM women, who started their careers as the highest paid categories, end up among the lowest paid.
As noted in ScienceCareers, "With a few exceptions, URM representation has grown in the various fields and disciplines, but the progress has been glacial."
Anyone out there have suggestions for what NSF and NIH might do to help the STEM workforce make a faster path to representing the diversity of the American people?
cheers,
Laura
Hi Helen,
Bravo! Yes, it's a good time to use some sticks when the carrots are in short supply and competition will be fierce. If a university has no female full professors, what if NSF and NIH said, "Call us back when you've improved that situation." Wouldn't that be fixed ASAP instead of someday? I think so!
cheers,
Laura
Laura--I agree with Robin. Until the NIH and NSF bring a stick to bear along with some carrots, you won't see change. Universities are businesses and without regulations that have teeth they won't comply. Look at the effect on sexual harassment training in the corporate workplace once it became required. Companies now do it. What about discrimination reporting/monitoring? Companies now do it. Hold universities to the same standards for their research funding and you'll see change within a short period of time. And isn't this a good time to do so when we're prioritizing our research funding in light of budget cuts?
Shouldn't institutions that do a better job for women and minorities get the lion's share of grants when the grant qaulity is roughly equal? That I'd like to see!
Helen
Laura-- I think the NSF is already doing things but who is not: universities. Until NSF threatens to pull funds from universities who don't care and keep shoving women down, nothing will really change, or only incremental changes will occur.
RS
Hi Laura,
We've discussed this from time to time. I think a lot of the Ceci and Williams ideas should be implemented to help women during child-bearing years. I also think that pressure on organizers and award choosing groups to at least consider strong women candidates is very much needed. It was Phoebe Leboy's big push and I feel it may go by the wayside now that we've lost her.
CMR
