Science and Gender –Obstacles and Interventions

3 Responses to Science and Gender –Obstacles and Interventions

1. Barbara Montanari says:

   February 23, 2011 at 9:08 pm

   Dear Prof. Donald,

   I am a senior research scientist working at the Rutherford Appleton Lab.
   During my fifteen or so years of career in Academia I have always been an interested observer of gender related issues in the Academic world but had never spent time reading about them. Recently, UKRC invited me to be their guest blogger so I have been trying to crystallise my experience and thoughts on the subject.
   I found the report on Science and Gender in Academia very illuminating and I hope to have helped publicise it further because so many people still fail to recognise the continued presence of a gender issue.
   My personal experience is very much in line with the content of the report. I was able to become a mother in science without too much difficulty, and I agree that gender-related issues become stronger as women become more senior.

   I have written a few thoughts about the report on the UKRC blog which you may find here:
   http://www.theukrc.org/blogs/getset-women/2011/02/barbara
   I would love to know your opinion about what I write on the lack of confidence issue. Am I being too idealistic (feminine self-doubt kicking in!) or is mine a valid point ?

   Reply
2. Jane.F says:

   May 19, 2011 at 1:49 pm

   Barbara I enjoyed you blog. Science has to be inspirational and exciting too often students are put off by constantly being told you need this subject & that subject hence no one wishes to look into those fields. The UK has lost huge amounts of funding so I can see why many move abroad.
   However one of my other disappointments is the fact so many ‘eye opening ‘ events are held in London. Women in Technology confirmed they are driven by the sponsor…why? science whether it IT research or undergraduate appeal is not bound by areas. I would also like to see the high achievers going back to their roots and meeting the ordinary folk aiming aim and without invite or special event to do so.
   It is also a sad fact that contractors many of whom are talented miss out or seemingly so on these award nights. I have just achieved ICTTech but cannot see invites flooding in for my opinion.
   All in all two great blogs and they drive me to continue into computer science & IT I would grasp with both hands the opportunity for a chance to experience these environments…maybe one day after MSc and Phd around my ordinary working day have been completed shall I see some more inspiring sights of science & technology meeting

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3. Karin says:

   February 26, 2015 at 2:03 pm

   I saw a fantastic comment about ERC-grants I’d like to co-comment

   ‘has great papers, but many are with her former PhD supervisor’, or ‘great project, but too risky/ambitious’

   in my case read as

   ‘ground work are all unpublished pre-prints’ and ‘project too ambitious’

   ERC-STG 2014, PhD 2009, 2 children (2 year full time equivalent after PhD), 2 single name unpublished preprints of about 30 pages each (in math/cs it takes a year to get published),
   international experience, some grant money – the works, got me to the 45-50% range 😀

   some more favourites of mine:
   – Dear Mrs X, …., Sincerely yours Dr. Y
   – Yes, I will go on paternity leave, take 3 months to do some serious paper writing. (hilarious!!!)

   well back to hammering out the chinks in my armour,
   the older I get, the more feminist I become!

   Reply