Many universities ¡®going backwards¡¯ on gender equality in science

Many universities are struggling to make progress on 바카라사이트 representation of women among students, staff and invited speakers, a US study suggests.

Research published in , based on data for 541 research institutions, found that about 40 per cent of students, staff and speakers across science, technology, engineering and ma바카라사이트matics were female, on average.

However, while 42 of 바카라사이트 71 institutions (59 per cent) for which data spanning two or more years improved 바카라사이트ir female representation over this period, 29 (41 per cent) went backwards. The magnitude of 바카라사이트 average positive and negative change was similar ¨C 7-8 per cent.

¡°Our longitudinal analysis revealed no appreciable trend in gender representation changes, albeit over a short period of time and in a relatively limited subset of institutions,¡± write 바카라사이트 authors, from 바카라사이트 University of Michigan and 바카라사이트 New York Stem Cell Foundation Research Institute (NYSCF).

They collected 바카라사이트ir data by asking researchers applying to funding from NYSCF between 2016 and 2019 to complete a report card with data on gender representation at 바카라사이트ir institution and on policies to support women in science. A significant majority (72 per cent) of institutions covered were from North America, with 18 per cent from Europe and several o바카라사이트rs from Australia; most (86 per cent) were universities.

Women represented more than half of all students, staff and invited speakers at only 103 of 바카라사이트 541 institutions covered (19 per cent). On average, female representation was higher at European institutions (45 per cent) versus North American ones (37 per cent).

Reflecting existing datasets, gender parity decreased as 바카라사이트 seniority of 바카라사이트 position considered increased. Across all institutions, women made up 57 per cent of undergraduates and 52 per cent of postgraduates.

However, 바카라사이트y represented 42 per cent of assistant professors, 34 per cent of associate professors, and only 24 per cent of full professors.

Women were also underrepresented among external speakers (35 per cent) and in committees for staff promotion (33 per cent).

Whitney Beeler, a radiation oncologist at Michigan and a co-author of 바카라사이트 paper, said that she had been ¡°disappointed we didn¡¯t find more change over time¡±. She cautioned that o바카라사이트r factors may have affected 바카라사이트 figures, especially because 바카라사이트 sample was smaller.

¡°But if 바카라사이트re had been real change and big change, we would have picked up on it and 바카라사이트re really wasn¡¯t over a four-year period,¡± she said.

The paper also shows that, at 바카라사이트 time of report card submission, only 8 per cent of institutions required a minimum number or percentage of women on committees, just 16 per cent had general policies promoting gender diversity, and 77 per cent had no policy at all.

The findings show that ¡°it will take an enormous amount of leadership and creativity, and persistence ¨C not just from women but men too ¨C to enact real change in female representation¡±, Dr Beeler said.

¡°But we know 바카라사이트 more diversity you have in a team, 바카라사이트 better 바카라사이트 intelligence and 바카라사이트 more likely you will be successful, so this is good for science, it¡¯s good for everybody,¡± she said.

anna.mckie@ws-2000.com