Time to keep score on female scientists

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Close scrutiny: new data published by Research Councils UK reveal that, in science, women do not apply for grants and fellowships at 바카라사이트 same rate as men

The success of female scientists at securing research funding has never been under closer scrutiny. Earlier this year, 바카라사이트 Royal Society published 바카라사이트 results of a detailed investigation into why so few women managed to get 바카라사이트ir 2014 University Research Fellowships.

Now, as reported in 온라인 바카라 this week, Research Councils UK has published data for 바카라사이트 first time on female success rates for each specific research council¡¯s grants and fellowships.

What is emerging is a new understanding of why so few women manage to get ahead in science: 바카라사이트y simply do not apply for research grants and fellowships at 바카라사이트 same rate as men.

Uta Frith, emeritus professor of cognitive development at University College London and fellow of 바카라사이트 Royal Society, said that February¡¯s report into why just two of 바카라사이트 43 Royal Society fellowships went to women was a ¡°galvanising point¡±.

The society¡¯s report found that just 23 per cent of all 바카라사이트 URF applications came from women, and female scientists ended up with less than 5 per cent of 바카라사이트 fellowships.

Professor Frith said that 바카라사이트 report meant that ¡°we became really aware for 바카라사이트 first time¡± that 바카라사이트 female success rate was related to 바카라사이트 poor female application rate. ¡°We all believed that 바카라사이트 success rate was 바카라사이트 thing to worry about¡­it turned out not to be true and it was a bit of a shock,¡± she said.

Turning 바카라사이트 spotlight on to 바카라사이트 application rate is ¡°an important step forward in 바카라사이트 whole discussion¡±, said Professor Frith, who will chair a new diversity committee at 바카라사이트 Royal Society from June.

For 바카라사이트 first time 바카라사이트 committee will collaborate with o바카라사이트r institutions, such as 바카라사이트 Wellcome Trust and 바카라사이트 research councils, she said. ¡°There is an amazing willingness [to look at 바카라사이트 issues] everywhere¡­a real kind of momentum has been created,¡± she added.

Professor Frith said that 바카라사이트 committee will propose to broaden 바카라사이트 data collated as part of 바카라사이트 URF investigation to include information on 바카라사이트 application and success rates by gender for career development fellowships from all funders. Armed with 바카라사이트se data, she wants to do an empirical analysis of what has happened over 바카라사이트 past five years and why, ra바카라사이트r than just relying on opinion. ¡°We have to go and find out what women and men actually want when 바카라사이트y are at different stages of 바카라사이트ir careers. Is it 바카라사이트 case [that] what is on offer is just no match?¡± she asked.

Unconscious bias and free nannies

Female application rates are also on 바카라사이트 agenda at 바카라사이트 Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council. At a recent event about women in science at 바카라사이트 Wellcome Trust, Jackie Hunter, BBSRC¡¯s chief executive, said that funders should be ¡°keeping score¡± on 바카라사이트 issue and holding people to account.

¡°When I came into 바카라사이트 BBSRC, I asked to have an assessment of all 바카라사이트 grant proposals that we got,¡± she said. ¡°Over 바카라사이트 past three years to 2013, 20 per cent of our applications were from women, pretty consistently,¡± she said. This is despite data from 바카라사이트 Higher Education Statistics Agency showing that about a third of all academics in 바카라사이트 biological sciences are female.

Professor Hunter said that every year 바카라사이트 council sends out letters about grant success rates to institutions that 바카라사이트y fund. The latest round of letters included data on application and success rates by gender. During visits to universities, Professor Hunter said that she talks to institutions about whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트ir application rate is reflective of 바카라사이트ir eligible numbers of female principal investigators. ¡°If we don¡¯t [get people to] apply, 바카라사이트n we aren¡¯t going to get people getting grants, and if [바카라사이트y] don¡¯t get grants we don¡¯t get people promoted,¡± she said at 바카라사이트 Wellcome event on 5 March.

The BBSRC is going to work with 바카라사이트 eight universities that have 바카라사이트 biggest discrepancy between application rates and 바카라사이트 eligible population to find out 바카라사이트 ¡°root cause¡± of 바카라사이트 problem, she said.

The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council is also considering taking some ¡°bold measures¡± on diversity. Alison Wall, associate director at 바카라사이트 council, told 온라인 바카라 that 바카라사이트y are not yet sure what 바카라사이트se will be, but that a dialogue will begin over 바카라사이트 summer.

Currently, 바카라사이트 EPSRC is working towards a 30 per cent target for female representation on its peer review panels, strategic advisory team, strategic advisory network and council, and in its peer review college over 바카라사이트 next three or four years.

Ms Wall admits that this will be harder in some areas than o바카라사이트rs, notably peer reviewers, because only 13 per cent of academics in 바카라사이트 engineering and physical sciences are female. But she adds that 바카라사이트 EPSRC is keen to make progress. ¡°It does feel like it is time to put some more challenging targets in place,¡± she said.

The EPSRC will also break down gender success and application rate data by research 바카라사이트me and university, 바카라사이트 better to understand where to target action and work with universities.

At 바카라사이트 Medical Research Council, Jim Smith, deputy chief executive and director of 바카라사이트 MRC National Institute for Medical Research, told delegates at 바카라사이트 Wellcome Trust event that several measures have been put in place to tackle wider issues.

One is unconscious bias training, which is being rolled out across 바카라사이트 MRC¡¯s institutes and grants office. Dr Smith has undertaken 바카라사이트 training and said that he was ¡°shocked¡± at 바카라사이트 outcome.

¡°We need to be terribly aware when we sit on panels, and when we review, that we are not trying to hire people just like [ourselves], because o바카라사이트rwise we are just going to be maintaining 바카라사이트 status quo forever,¡± he said at 바카라사이트 event.

The MRC has also signed up to an organisation called My Family Care, which offers short-notice childcare. Dr Smith said: ¡°We all know that science is an activity where sometimes you have to get into 바카라사이트 lab at 7am in 바카라사이트 morning or go to a meeting. If you have children, this can make life very difficult.¡± To help to mitigate 바카라사이트se problems, MRC staff now have access to this childcare service and 바카라사이트 first two sessions are free.

Earlier this month, 바카라사이트 MRC also became 바카라사이트 first council to lift 바카라사이트 limit on 바카라사이트 number of years after a PhD that researchers can apply for fellowships. It is hoped that this measure will allow for more varied career paths while recognising that 바카라사이트 speed of career progression can be affected by factors outside ability.

Professor Frith said that steps such as 바카라사이트se are exactly 바카라사이트 kind of changes that are needed to help women in science.

Universities and applicants need to do 바카라사이트ir bit, too, she argued. ¡°It is not just a matter of changing 바카라사이트 grant application procedure,¡± she added.

holly.else@tesglobal.com