Nikon Optical Microscope. Credit: Moisey
By Rich Bowden
A study conducted by the Federation of Australian Scientific and Technological Societies has found that few women are represented in the higher echelons in Australian science, a situation which has deteriorated in the last decade-and-a-half.
The report, “Women in Science in Australia: Maximising Productivity, Diversity and Innovation”, which was released this week, showed that women are under-represented in many areas and compared the situation unfavourably with the results of a similar report commissioned in 1994.
“The study 15 years ago recognised that this was a critical issue not just for equity, but productivity and innovation,” said study author Sharon Bell to the ABC. “It’s a loss not just for women in terms of possible career paths, but it’s a loss for society and for our competitive place in the world.”
Professor Bell said while women were well represented in the biological and environmental disciplines, representation fell away markedly in other scientific areas.
“…while you’re looking at your grouping of biological and environmental sciences sitting at over 50 per cent [representation], you’re looking at engineering, information and communication technology, you know, at 14, 18 per cent,” she said to the PM program.
Prof Bell added that few women were making it into administrative levels of their respective disciplines, with the category of female administrators and managers increasing by a mere 4 per cent despite female participation in professional fields growing by 11 per cent.
The report also pointed to evidence of sexual harassment and discrimination in many scientific fields.
Productivity, Innovation Loss
Prof Bell said the lack of female representation would have an impact on scientific innovation and productivity in the country.
“Well, I think the main ramifications are the fact that if we don’t have a diverse workforce, we’re not actually maximising our productivity through diversity and that will impact on innovation,” she said to PM.
Federal Science Minister Senator Kim Carr, told the program his Government was aware there was a problem in female under representation in science and had promised to rectify the situation.
Science Minister Senator Kim Carr, 24 Jan 2008. Credit: Comm. of Aust.
“It will take time and the Government has only been in office for a short while, but this is a problem that if it confronts our scientific researchers, undermines our capacity, undermines our productivity as a nation, and we want to do something about it,” he said.
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Hello Jill,
Thanks for your comment. Yes Carr’s statement that the Government would be “taking steps” to remedy the situation sounds all too vague doesn’t it? Interesting point you made re the precarious employment of scientists; can you expand on that?
Rich
Not surprising when there is hardly any incentives for women to advance to the “higher echelons” of the science community. It also doesn’t help when the precarious employment for scientists doesn’t allow for proper career or life planning.
I strongly doubt the government, universities or research institutes will do much to improve the situation.