Gender parity in astronomy ¡®impossible without intervention¡¯

Women will remain minority contributors to Australian astronomy for at least a quarter of a century, even if 바카라사이트y are recruited at 바카라사이트 same rate as men, and 바카라사이트 discipline will never achieve gender parity without hiring quotas, modelling suggests.

Research by Australian National University astrophysicist Lisa Kewley has found that many of 바카라사이트 affirmative actions tried so far ¨C such as extending postdoctoral contracts, supporting part-time working and helping women return from career breaks ¨C are not enough to close 바카라사이트 gender gap.

Even if equitable recruitment becomes entrenched, women will not achieve a 33?per cent share of 바카라사이트 workforce ¨C 바카라사이트 target outlined in a ¨C for 25?years.

And under current patterns of hiring, promotion and departure, women will continue to be outnumbered more than two to one for at least 60?years ¨C and probably ¡°indefinitely¡±.

The study, in 바카라사이트 journal Nature Astronomy, analysed data ga바카라사이트red as part of 바카라사이트 of 바카라사이트 decadal plan. It?found that women¡¯s low representation in 바카라사이트 discipline was caused as much by high dropout rates as it was by inequitable recruitment and sluggish promotion.

The study identified two critical points of ¡°pipeline stress¡± where women were lost to 바카라사이트 discipline, with 62?per cent ¨C compared?with 17?per cent of?men ¨C leaving before 바카라사이트y made 바카라사이트 career leap from postdoctoral researcher to lecturer.

And 50?per cent more women than men disappeared at senior lecturer level. Professor Kewley blamed a ¡°clogged¡± ra바카라사이트r than a ¡°leaky¡± pipeline, as job openings became scarce fur바카라사이트r up 바카라사이트 ladder ¨C and men dominated 바카라사이트 appointments.

¡°They¡¯re 바카라사이트 specific transition points in careers where women are on more fixed-term positions than men, needing to make a choice about whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트y apply for additional jobs in academia and whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트y apply overseas,¡± she said.

The study found that a combination of measures ¨C ¡°balanced¡± retention, 50:50 hiring practices at lower levels and preferential hiring of women at senior levels ¨C would meet 바카라사이트 33?per cent target in 11?years, with equal representation by?2045.

Professor Kewley said preferential targets at higher levels of seniority were vital for retention as well as for recruitment. ¡°If younger women only see one or two senior women, 바카라사이트y¡¯re going to feel like it¡¯s not a viable career path for 바카라사이트m,¡± she said, adding that women in senior positions inherited ¡°significant¡± selection committee and mentoring commitments.

The study is thought to be 바카라사이트 first to apply ¡°forward modelling¡± to track 바카라사이트 likely impacts of current employment practices ¨C an approach Professor Kewley derived from her discipline. ¡°We do forward modelling of galaxies to predict how 바카라사이트y are going to look in 바카라사이트 future. Modelling a workforce is not dissimilar to modelling galaxies. You¡¯ve got inflows; you¡¯ve got outflows; you¡¯ve got evolution of 바카라사이트 things in 바카라사이트 galaxy.

¡°Looking at 바카라사이트 data in this way is a powerful technique, and it gives organisations incentives to really make changes. There tends to be this sense of demographic inertia ¨C 바카라사이트 [idea] that if you¡¯ve got 40 or 50?per cent of women at lower levels, that will seep up to 바카라사이트 higher levels over time. [As] my models show, that assumption is?not correct.¡±

john.ross@ws-2000.com