the athena factor in science
Photo credit: Rich Legg
A new study called The Athena Factor: Reversing the Brain Drain in Science, Engineering and Technology, was recently published in the Harvard Business Review.
Conducted by the Center for Work-LIfe Policy, the study found women represent 41% of scientists, engineers and technology specialists in entry to mid-level positions. After an average of 10 years, however, 52% of women leave their field in the sciences.
The reasons given by the study’s participants is often the lack of other women in the field and a macho culture of hostility that excludes women. There are also few women in upper management in the scientific fields and therefore, no mentors or role models for younger women to follow. Other reasons cited in the study include:
- hostile male cultures
- severe isolation
- unknown career paths
- extreme work pressures
- reward systems that emphasize risk-taking
In an effort to attract and retain female scientists, Pfizer has created a mentoring program between their female scientist and graduate students at Yale. Alcoa, Johnson & Johnson, Microsoft, Cisco and General Electric all have new initiatives with the objective to attract and retain women in the sciences.
According to the Mother of All Scientists, scientist, PhD, mother and blog writer who left her career in the academic sciences to be home with her family, “one of the major barriers to making true progress in retaining women in science is that the (largely male) powers that be have yet to truly accept that there is a problem…When well-trained, talented women fall of the path to become leaders in science, it’s not just their loss. It’s a loss to science.” Well said, Mother of All Scientists.
