Abstract of "Chapter 3-The Status of Women in Science and Engineering"
Author(s):
Dr. Marsha Lakes Matyas
This chapter examines current research on the problems
encountered by women and minorities in the fields of science
and engineering (S&E). The data is categorized into to
three classes: undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate levels,
and employment.
Undergraduate
According to a National Science Board study done in 1989,
53% of the bachelor's degrees conferred in the United States
went to women. However, only 39% of these bachelor's degrees
were earned in science, and only 15% in engineering. Within
science, the percentage of degrees awarded to women varied by
field. Women earned 46% of the bachelor's degrees awarded in
math, 45% in life sciences, 31% in physical sciences, 31% in
computer science, and 25% in environmental science. These
numbers do not show an upward swing in the number of women
receiving degrees in science and engineering. Instead, they
show a decline from the percentages recorded in the 80's.
The following reasons have been presented to account for
this shortfall in the number of women receiving science and
engineering degrees:
- The number of prerequisite math and science courses that
students are required to take has gone up, but young women
are less likely to take the final courses (mainly physics and
calculus) that would better prepare them for S&E
majors.
- High achieving female students do not exhibit the same
level of interest in science and engineering as do their male
counterparts.
- The attrition rate of female students who enter into
science and engineering is high. The students who leave
S&E often attribute it to impersonal and uncaring
teaching styles.
- Women complain of sexist remarks made by peers. Female
students say that these remarks alienate them, and lower
their self-esteem.
- Female students tend to see financial aid as more of a
major concern than male students. Female students are often
less likely to pursue a particular career path, due to an
unwillingness to accept financial aid.
Graduate and Postgraduate Levels
The National Science Foundation's 1990 report showed that
since 1980, women represented one-third of graduate enrollment
in social sciences, psychology, and life sciences. These women
earned 31% of the masters degrees awarded, yet only 11% of
these degrees were within the fields of engineering. The
reasons presented to explain this were the same as those used
to explain low percentages of women in these fields at the
undergraduate level. However, the author stated that there was
room for optimism as the percentage of women earning doctoral
degrees in certain science and engineering disciplines has
shown a significant increase.
Employment
Dr. Matyas used the 1990 National Science Foundation studies
to show the major areas of conflicts between male and female
scientists and engineers. The NSF study cited five major areas
of difference:
- Numbers Women are underrepresented in science and
engineering compared to their participation in the work
force.
- Salaries Women's salaries are less than three-fourths of
men's in the work force.
- Unemployment The unemployment rate for women scientists
and engineers are almost double that of their male
peers.
- Underemployment Women are far more likely than men to be
underemployed.
- Years of Experience Women in the fields of S&E tend
to have fewer years of experience, because women have only
recently begun to enter these fields.
In addition to these general indicators, a 1991 Labor
Department study showed that attitudinal and organizational
barriers exist, such as:
- recruitment practices that involve word of mouth and
hence tend to exclude women.
- credential and career enhancing opportunities that are
often unavailable to women and underrepresented
minorities,
- accountability for Equal Opportunity responsibilities not
reaching the senior level executives and corporate decision
makers.
Matyas cites research showing almost across the board
disparities in salary, promotions, tenures, and
responsibilities between women, minorities, and white males
employed by academe, industry, and government in S&E.
Matyas concludes by advocating an information clearinghouse for
publicizing and better utilizing the resources available to
reduce barriers to women and minority engineers.
Dr. Marsha Lakes Matyas, Director of
the Women in Science Program in the Directorate for Education
and Human Resources of the American Association for the
Advancement of Science.