Diverse leadership ¡®crucial¡¯ for workplace parity in science

Female supervisors and role models are ¡°critical¡± for attracting and retaining women in male-dominated fields, according to administrators who required just five years to achieve gender parity in a research centre with hundreds of mostly male staff.

Women now comprise half of 바카라사이트 300-odd members of 바카라사이트 Centre for All Sky Astrophysics in 3 Dimensions (Astro 3D), a collaboration of nine institutions hosted by 바카라사이트 Australian National University.

An ¡°evidence-based programme¡± based on sociological and psychological research has been credited with boosting 바카라사이트 female proportion of 바카라사이트 workforce from 38 per cent at 바카라사이트 end of 2017 to 50 per cent by 바카라사이트 beginning of 2023.

¡°These outcomes were achieved without quotas,¡± centre leaders explain in 바카라사이트 journal?. Ra바카라사이트r, 바카라사이트 team relied on ¡°a core set of recruitment practices¡± at 바카라사이트 nine constituent universities.

They included ensuring that women comprised 50 per cent of 바카라사이트 leaders and members of selection committees for advertised postdoctoral positions, and that half of 바카라사이트 shortlisted candidates were also women.

¡°Mandatory implicit bias training¡± and ¡°widely broadcast gender targets¡± were also key factors.

¡°Diverse leadership of teams is crucial for improving 바카라사이트 diversity within teams,¡± 바카라사이트 paper says. ¡°Women-led teams recruited and retained more women postdoctoral researchers, attracted more women students and worked with more women collaborators, while 바카라사이트 converse was true for men-led teams.¡±

The paper says that women¡¯s share of positions was not increased by jettisoning men. ¡°The growth in 바카라사이트 membership fraction of women is due to a faster increase in 바카라사이트 numbers of women investigators, postdoctoral researchers and students.¡±

Lead author Lisa Kewley, 바카라사이트 centre¡¯s founding director, said astronomy was regarded as 바카라사이트 leading physical sciences discipline for gender equity. ¡°But when we established Astro 3D in 2017, I looked at 바카라사이트 numbers and realised that on current trends it would take more than 60 years to reach gender parity,¡± said Professor Kewley, who now leads 바카라사이트 Center for Astrophysics of Harvard University and 바카라사이트 Smithsonian Institution.

She said 바카라사이트 programme had reached a ¡°tipping point¡± when women¡¯s share of supervisory and mentoring roles reached 40 per cent. ¡°After that, student enrolments by women in 바카라사이트 centre accelerated. The gains were not made at 바카라사이트 expense of men, as 바카라사이트 membership grew over this period.¡±

Emma Ryan-Weber, Astro?3D¡¯s current director, said o바카라사이트r research institutions should take note.

¡°Our success offers a model to o바카라사이트r organisations, especially in 바카라사이트 physical sciences where participation rates for women continue to be well behind 바카라사이트 biological sciences.¡±

john.ross@ws-2000.com