Obscuring Gender Bias with “Choice”—Response

Abstract

I believe that Conner et al. misrepresent my article and misconstrue my intentions in writing it. Along with them and Science Careers, I strongly deplore and oppose bias and discrimination of any kind in science. My colleagues and I work assiduously to help female (and male) scientists and aspiring scientists advance in the careers of their choosing. In line with that goal, I report on research that helps scientists of both genders understand the career opportunities that currently exist so that they can make choices that maximize their chances of finding and prospering in positions that fit their values, goals, aspirations, and definitions of success. Research ([ 1 ][1]) reveals that scientists value and aspire to a wide range of career goals, with some of both genders desiring traditional academic careers leading to top institutional leadership positions and others desiring to pursue different career objectives both in and out of academe. Evidence both formal ([ 2 ][2]) and anecdotal also shows that many young scientists report feeling strong pressure from their professors and advisers to pursue traditional academic careers in preference to other types of work that they may prefer. The letter writers' use of the term “downshift” to describe a physician's choice to pursue a career of teaching and clinical practice rather than of academic research may in itself exemplify this type of bias. Contrary to the Letter, I did not conclude—in the sense of arriving at a judgment—that “women's service motivations” keep them from traditional tenure-track careers. As Conner et al. acknowledge, I, like the study's ([ 3 ][3]) authors, do not know why women chose as they did. I suggested a possible explanation also mentioned by the authors and ended the article with the authors' own statement that the question “deserves further analysis.” I do not believe that this misrepresents their work. 1. [↵][4] 1. M. Roach, 2. H. Sauermann , Res. Pol. 39, 422 (2010). [OpenUrl][5][CrossRef][6] 2. [↵][7] 1. H. Sauermann, 2. M. Roach , PLOS ONE 7, e36307 (2012). [OpenUrl][8][CrossRef][9][PubMed][10] 3. [↵][11] 1. A. P. Mayer 2. et al ., Acad. Med. 89, 312 (2014). [OpenUrl][12][CrossRef][13][PubMed][14][Web of Science][15] [1]: #ref-1 [2]: #ref-2 [3]: #ref-3 [4]: #xref-ref-1-1 View reference 1 in text [5]: {openurl}?query=rft.jtitle%253DRes.%2BPol.%26rft.volume%253D39%26rft.spage%253D422%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Adoi%252F10.1016%252Fj.respol.2010.01.004%26rft.genre%253Darticle%26rft_val_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Ajournal%26ctx_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ctx_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Actx [6]: /lookup/external-ref?access_num=10.1016/j.respol.2010.01.004&link_type=DOI [7]: #xref-ref-2-1 View reference 2 in text [8]: {openurl}?query=rft.stitle%253DPLoS%2BONE%26rft.aulast%253DSauermann%26rft.auinit1%253DH.%26rft.volume%253D7%26rft.issue%253D5%26rft.spage%253De36307%26rft.epage%253De36307%26rft.atitle%253DScience%2BPhD%2Bcareer%2Bpreferences%253A%2Blevels%252C%2Bchanges%252C%2Band%2Badvisor%2Bencouragement.%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Adoi%252F10.1371%252Fjournal.pone.0036307%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Apmid%252F22567149%26rft.genre%253Darticle%26rft_val_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Ajournal%26ctx_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ctx_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Actx [9]: /lookup/external-ref?access_num=10.1371/journal.pone.0036307&link_type=DOI [10]: /lookup/external-ref?access_num=22567149&link_type=MED&atom=%2Fsci%2F343%2F6176%2F1200.2.atom [11]: #xref-ref-3-1 View reference 3 in text [12]: {openurl}?query=rft.jtitle%253DAcad.%2BMed.%26rft.volume%253D89%26rft.spage%253D312%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Adoi%252F10.1097%252FACM.0000000000000089%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Apmid%252F24362384%26rft.genre%253Darticle%26rft_val_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Ajournal%26ctx_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ctx_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Actx [13]: /lookup/external-ref?access_num=10.1097/ACM.0000000000000089&link_type=DOI [14]: /lookup/external-ref?access_num=24362384&link_type=MED&atom=%2Fsci%2F343%2F6176%2F1200.2.atom [15]: /lookup/external-ref?access_num=000330305900031&link_type=ISI