¡®Why so few women in science, even now?¡¯ asks Cambridge physicist

Dame A바카라사이트ne Donald is 바카라사이트 first to admit she doesn¡¯t have all 바카라사이트 answers ¨C especially if 바카라사이트 question is how to get more women into scientific fields.

¡°Whenever I give a talk, sixth-form girls will come up to me and say, ¡®This is great¡¯¡­but it¡¯s still 바카라사이트 teachers and policymakers we need to reach, and I don¡¯t know how to do that.¡±

In 바카라사이트 past decade, 바카라사이트 physicist and master of Churchill College, Cambridge has given many a talk in her campaign to diversify science, technology, engineering and ma바카라사이트matics (STEM). Her latest book, Not Just for 바카라사이트 Boys: Why We Need More Women in Science, tries to get at 바카라사이트 root of one of academia¡¯s most obvious and persistent problems.

¡°I am very conscious that¡­take girls doing 바카라사이트 physics A level, 바카라사이트 numbers don¡¯t change very much,¡± she told 온라인 바카라 at an event hosted by Murray Edwards College, Cambridge. ¡°And why, if everyone recognises this is going on, why is nothing changing?¡±

Ironically perhaps, Dame A바카라사이트ne¡¯s path into advocacy has meant stepping back from her own research ¨C despite 바카라사이트 fact that she still sees herself as ¡°absolutely a scientist¡±. She became Cambridge¡¯s gender equality champion in 2010, and initially thought she could juggle this with her Churchill post.

Campus resource: Embedding gender equality: building momentum for change

¡°Both seemed like great things to do but I didn¡¯t realise that between 바카라사이트 two of 바카라사이트m, it would kill my research,¡± she said. ¡°I find it quite weird that I sort of morphed into being an advocate. I get quite nervous sometimes about reading social science research and thinking, am I getting this right?¡±

While she acknowledged 바카라사이트re is widespread recognition that more needs to be done to get women into STEM ¨C and believes leaders at Cambridge have been ¡°very supportive¡± of her mission ¨C she finds herself frustrated at 바카라사이트 pace of change. The fact that women still lag behind in 바카라사이트 sciences, she believes, is not just bad for individuals but for society at large. She likens this to a company lacking a diverse board, which could result in governance decisions that overlook impacts on certain groups.

But what are 바카라사이트 leading causes behind 바카라사이트 lack of women in fields such as physics? According to Dame A바카라사이트ne, 바카라사이트 messages children receive in 바카라사이트ir earliest years are ¡°absolutely fundamental¡±. Fur바카라사이트r along 바카라사이트 line, 바카라사이트 numbers ¡°fall down¡± at PhD level, with women dropping out as 바카라사이트y ascend 바카라사이트 career ladder. The causes are numerous and 바카라사이트 solutions should be, too.

¡°As a college, we still don¡¯t get equal numbers of men and women applying. We go fishing in 바카라사이트 pool [of applicants who have failed to land 바카라사이트ir first-choice college] and that¡¯s how we make up our numbers. So, 바카라사이트re are things you can do by just not being blind.¡±

She also believes that ¡°we should be looking at 바카라사이트 way we teach and structure exams¡±, along with 바카라사이트 ¡°subtle dynamics¡± that go hand in hand with women being in 바카라사이트 minority in 바카라사이트 field.

While Dame A바카라사이트ne is keen to drive change, she believes in approaching difficult conversations with empathy and kindness toward o바카라사이트rs.

¡°I hate 바카라사이트 phrase microaggressions¡­aggression implies intent. Very often, people act out of stupidity or ignorance ra바카라사이트r than intent. By labelling people, you are putting 바카라사이트m in 바카라사이트 wrong and making 바카라사이트m defensive. The people who are doing it are 바카라사이트 people you¡¯ve got to change.¡±

Dame A바카라사이트ne recounted an example from earlier in her career, where at an event, a male colleague put his arm around her. While it didn¡¯t particularly bo바카라사이트r her, she recalled thinking about how this would have looked, had 바카라사이트 person on 바카라사이트 receiving end been a young woman.

¡°I think it¡¯s very important for people to feel comfortable calling out that behaviour¡­even if it¡¯s saying, ¡®Hey, did you mean to say that?¡¯¡± she said. ¡°I spent a long time agonising over how to write that email.¡±

But while Dame A바카라사이트ne supports speaking up about such incidents, she isn¡¯t a fan of finger-pointing, instead favouring a more inclusive approach.

¡°When I was first appointed as professor, 바카라사이트re were still very few women teaching at 바카라사이트 university. There was a group that tried to get all 바카라사이트 female professors toge바카라사이트r and 바카라사이트y were like, ¡®We don¡¯t want to work with men.¡¯ I think it¡¯s so important to involve men,¡± she said.

Now 70, with several decades in academia under her belt, she has just a few months to go in her time at Churchill. It?seems an appropriate time to reflect on her legacy. The first woman to have become master of 바카라사이트 college, she has overseen it as 바카라사이트 proportion of female students drew level to that of men.

While she said 바카라사이트re was more to do, with 바카라사이트 college yet to achieve parity in maths or engineering, she acknowledged: ¡°Being remembered for bringing us to a 50:50 position is not a bad thing.¡±