Beyond Bias and Barriers: Fulfilling the Potential of Women in Academic Science and Engineering

Beyond Bias and Barriers explains that eliminating gender bias in academia requires immediate overarching reform, including decisive action by university administrators, professional societies, federal funding agencies and foundations, government agencies, and Congress.



The United States economy relies on the productivity, entrepreneurship, and creativity of its people. To maintain its scientific and engineering leadership amid increasing economic and educational globalization, the United States must aggressively pursue the innovative capacity of all its people—women and men.
However, women face barriers to success in every field of science and engineering; obstacles that deprive the country of an important source of talent.
Without a transformation of academic institutions to tackle such barriers, the future vitality of the U.S. research base and economy are in jeopardy.

Contents
SUMMARY
Findings
Conclusions
Recommendations
Call to Action
1 INTRODUCTION
Recognizing Obstacles
Defining the Issues
2 LEARNING AND PERFORMANCE
Chapter Highlights
Findings
Recommendation
Research Approaches
Cognition
Mathematical and Spatial Performance
Verbal and Written Performance
Longitudinal Manifestation of Cognitive Differences
Biology
Brain Structure and Function
Hormonal Influences on Cognitive Performance
Psychological Development in Infancy
Evolutionary Psychology
Society and Culture
Socialization of Infants and Children
Education
Social Effects on Women’s Cognitive Performance
Conclusion
3 EXAMINING PERSISTENCE AND ATTRITION
Chapter Highlights
Findings
Recommendations
Course Selection in High School
College-Going and Majors
Undergraduate Persistence to Degree
Social Factors Influencing Undergraduate Attrition
College to Graduate School
Graduate School
Graduate School Attrition
Postgraduate Career Plans
Postdoctoral Appointments
Professional Development and Productivity
Funding Source
Faculty Positions
Hiring New Doctorates into Faculty Positions
The “Pool”
Faculty Mobility
Exiting the Tenure Track
Tenure
Promotion
Faculty Retention
Departments vs. Centers
Economic Impact of Faculty Attrition
Case Study: Chemistry
Conclusion
4 SUCCESS AND ITS EVALUATION IN SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING
Chapter Highlights
Findings
Recommendations
Building a Career
Productivity
Sex Differences in Publication Productivity
Recognition
Leadership Positions
Grants and Contracts
Evaluation of Leaders
Evaluation of Success
Gender Bias in Evaluation
Understanding Discrimination
Subtle, Implicit, or Unexamined Bias
The Case for Diversity: “There Goes the Neighborhood?”
Accountability and Evaluation
Beyond Bias
Conclusion
5 INSTITUTIONAL CONSTRAINTS
Chapter Highlights
Findings
Recommendations
The “Ideal” Scientist or Engineer
Recruitment
Institutional Interactions
Family Responsibilities and the Bias Against Caregivers
The Maternal Wall
Glass Ceilings
Pioneers and Tipping Points
The Legal Landscape
Bringing Institutional Change
Small-Win Experiments
Identifying Barriers to Success in Science and Engineering
Establishing an Inclusive Work Environment
Integrating Work into One’s Whole Life
Service Obligations
Breaking the Conspiracy of Silence: Minority-Group Women Faculty
Funding-Agency-Driven Institutional Transformation
Conclusion
6 FULFILLING THE POTENTIAL OF WOMEN IN ACADEMIC SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING
Root Causes of Disparities
Why Change is Necessary
What Must Be Done: A Blueprint for Action
Change Institutional Processes to Combat Bias
Create New Institutional Structures
Create Methods for Evaluation and Accountability
Coordinating Body
Continuous Evaluation: Scorecard
Federal Standards and Compliance Issues
Sanctions
Possible Unintended Consequences
Call to Action
APPENDIXES
A. Biographical Information
B. Statement of Task
C. Chapter 4, Measuring Racial Discrimination, Theories of Discrimination
D. References
INDEX