Events

If current trends continue, women and men will be equally represented in the field of biology in 2009. In physics, math, and engineering, women should not expect to reach parity for more than a century. The gender gap in science and technology is narrowing, but at a decidedly unimpressive pace. And even if parity is achievable, what about equity? This talk will present a large-scale empirical analysis of the global gender gap in science, providing strong evidence that the structures of scientific production and reward impede women’s career advancement. The evidence is drawn from publication and survey data and shows that women are systematically denied the chief currencies of scientific credit: publications and citations. The rising tide of collaboration only exacerbates disparities, with women unlikely to land coveted leadership positions or gain access to global networks. The findings are unequivocal: when published, men are positioned as key contributors and women are relegated to low-visibility technical roles. The talk concludes with a discussion of how intersecting disparities in labor, reward, and resources contribute to cumulative disadvantages for the advancement of women in science and what might be done to mitigate this.