Women In STEM Research Articles

An invisible fork in the road: The autoethnography of a female social scientist

Research has shown that girls' confidence and ability perception are critical to their beliefs, attitudes, and interests concerning the pursuit of mathematics and science. In historically male-dominated fields, females often have a tenuous relationship with STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) disciplines. This autoethnographic study explores one girl's trajectory away from a keen interest in mathematics and science in favour of social sciences. Four central themes were identified as critical to females' interest, pursuit, and advancement into STEM careers, including gender-based socialisation; confidence, ability, and achievement; classroom environment and school curriculum; and family 'curriculum making'. The findings that impacted the divergence from STEM are revealed through interviews with the author's parents and expressed through a reflexive narrative. The findings in this paper suggest several actions that families and schools might take to support the STEM aspirations of young female students.Keywords: STEM; leaky pipeline; girls’ education; autoethnography; Feminist theoryPart of the special issue Autoethnography in online doctoral education <https://doi.org/10.21428/8c225f6e.9415e58d>

Ignoring the blood on the tracks: exits and departures from game studies

ABSTRACT In this article I examine game studies’ role in training students who go on to work in or study the games industry. Using a feminist lens to critique the leaky pipeline metaphor, I discuss how this metaphor assists in a collective amnesia that allows game studies to ignore the larger culture problems associated with games and the industry that makes them. In its place, I offer up Neil deGrasse Tyson’s use of “blood on the tracks” to describe how some people are actively pushed out of our field. As a way forward, I suggest that by reimagining how we teach game studies’ genesis point, it will offer up the potential for a brighter, more diverse future for our field.

Plugging the Leaky Pipeline:A Qualitative Investigation of Untenured Female Faculty in STEM

The current study set out to highlight the voices and stories of 129 female-identifying assistant professors in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) who responded to open-ended questions regarding their perceived barriers, supports, and experiences on their journey toward tenure. The current study utilized Consensual Qualitative Research-Modified (CQR-M; Spangler et al., 2012 ) for the methodology and data analysis, as the current study included a relatively large number of women and brief qualitative data. Responses fell into four domains: barriers, supports, needed resources, and miscellaneous responses. Additionally, responses were compared between women in STEM fields with higher percentages of female faculty versus STEM fields with lower percentages of female faculty, with results indicating that women in STEM fields with lower gender equality reported more gender discrimination, more difficult colleagues, and less institutional or administrative supports and policies. Future directions and clinical implications are discussed.

Mentorship and the Leaky Pipeline in Academic Cardiology.

Mentorship and the Leaky Pipeline in Academic Cardiology.

Economic Growth and the Feminisation of Political Science in Kazakhstan: A Leaky Pipeline?

Academia, in much of the world, has long been disproportionately populated by men. This pattern, at least in the social sciences, may be changing. We explore the shifting gender gap in political science in Kazakhstan, and then set out to explore potential determinants of the changes as well as the resulting employment patterns. We use time-series data to demonstrate that a rising GDP, shifting fertility rates, occupational prestige and a growing population are related to the increase in the number of women entering political science in Kazakhstan, which, nevertheless, has not resulted in employment parity.

Classroom management and student interaction interventions: Fostering diversity, inclusion, and belonging in the undergraduate economics classroom

The economics profession lacks diversity and, as a result, interventions have been introduced at the graduate and professional levels to minimize the effect of the “leaky pipeline.” In addition, economic educators lack training in classroom management and student interaction, which may lead to underinvestment in fostering diversity, inclusion, and a belonging environment in the classroom. The author of this article presents low-cost interventions to increase diversity and inclusion by developing a sense of belonging at the principles level. The focus of these interventions is on faculty behavior and pertains to classroom management and student interactions.

Maternity provision, contract status, and likelihood of returning to work: Evidence from research intensive universities in the UK

AbstractReliance on fixed‐term contracts and a lack of adequate maternity provision for fixed‐term workers could be contributing to the loss of women from academia―the so called “leaky pipeline”―but evidence on this is lacking. This paper describes variation, between research intensive universities in the UK, in the maternity provision they offer to fixed‐term workers and presents preliminary staff data on the likelihood of returning to work following a period of maternity leave for academic and non‐academic staff on fixed‐term versus open‐ended contracts. A gendered lens is applied, investigating how the intersection between contractual status and maternity provision contributes to gender inequality in academia within the context of hierarchical neoliberal academic organizing and the masculinized “ideal” academic. Staff data was obtained using a Freedom of Information request made to the 24 Russell Group universities in the United Kingdom. The odds of returning to work after maternity leave were 59% lower for staff on fixed‐term compared to open‐ended contracts (pooled odds ratio: 0.41, 95% confidence interval: 0.26–0.64). Maternity provision for fixed‐term workers varied between institutions, with most operating policies that limit access to enhanced maternity pay for staff on fixed‐term contracts. Wider adoption of maternity policies that are more compatible with employment on fixed‐term contracts, including: no continuous service or return to work requirement, full financial support for staff facing redundancy during maternity leave, and appropriate signposting of redeployment obligations, could help to support more women to stay in academia.

Operation STEM fatale - how an equity, diversity and inclusion initiative has brought us to reflect on the current challenges in cell biology and science as a whole.

Operation STEM fatale - how an equity, diversity and inclusion initiative has brought us to reflect on the current challenges in cell biology and science as a whole.

Gender Differences in Burnout Syndrome and Perceptions of Gender Equality in Research Organisations

We present the results of a survey which was distributed to six research performing organisations in Albania, France, Germany, Italy, Serbia, and Spain. We found that both academic and non-academic women perceive 1) a greater degree of work pressure than men; and, 2) a greater degree of gender inequality than men. These results are consistent across countries. The fact that women occupy a lower percentage of senior positions than men and do not share the same perception of inequality, may be critical to the resolution of the leaky pipeline phenomenon. These results have provided incentives to the six organisations to implement measures that address gender biases to ensure a balanced gender representation at decision-making levels, and that improve work-life balance to reduce burnout syndrome and positively affect career satisfaction.

Underrepresentation of women in the economics profession more pronounced in the United States compared to heterogeneous Europe

Based on a dataset that we collected from the top research institutions in economics around the globe (including universities, business schools, and other organizations, such as central banks), we document the underrepresentation of women in economics. For the 238 universities and business schools in the sample, women hold 25% of senior-level positions (full professor or associate professor) and 37% of junior-level positions. In the 82 US universities and business schools, the figures are 20% on the senior level and 32% on the entry level, while in the 122 European institutions, the numbers are 27% and 38%, respectively, with some heterogeneity across countries. The numbers also show that the highest-ranking institutions (in terms of research output) have fewer women in senior positions. Moreover, in the United States, this effect is even present on the junior level. The “leaky pipeline” may hence begin earlier than oftentimes assumed and is even more of an issue in the highly integrated market of the United States. In Europe, an institution ranked 100 places higher has 3 percentage points fewer women in senior positions, but in the United States, it is almost 5 percentage points.

Recognizing and Mitigating Gender Bias in Medical Teaching Assessments.

Recognizing and Mitigating Gender Bias in Medical Teaching Assessments.

Shifting from replication to recognition and care: a prescription for improving graduate student mentoring in political science

ABSTRACT Political science recognizes that it has a problem in recruiting and maintaining scholars from historically excluded groups and turned to the catch-all solution of “mentoring.” In this paper, we argue that those mentoring strategies are a means for neoliberal assimilation and replication, rather than supporting those scholars from historically excluded groups, which is why the leaky pipeline persists. Utilizing the results of an original survey we fielded in 2018, we prescribe that mentors adopt a pedagogies of care approach (Motta and Bennett 2018) to minimize the harm of the current system on those PhD students and early career faculty who do not fit the ideal worker image.

Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion in Our Professions: A Thin and Leaky Pipeline

The world is moving forward and our leaders appear to be set to make Diversity, Equality and Inclusion (DEI) a household name. The DEI abbreviation has become a frequent topic appearing on many agendas, it appears in publications and lectures, studies are devoted to it, symposiums are being organized, committees are sprouting up, and politicians say they are committed to it. There is no doubt, DEI has become a topic for the working and political worlds. Governments, universities, and many organisations are setting quotas to achieve DEI. Yet, data shows that in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) professions, DEI is lagging, thus begging the questions: “Where is DEI standing in STEM?” and “Why should we, as STEM researchers and as a not for profit scientific society be devoted to DEI?”

Preparing procurement professionals: Your organisation’s competitive advantage

Skilled procurement professionals are in high demand, especially after the supply chain disruptions organisations have faced over the past year. However, this paper finds that current-state procurement talent development is not adequate. Procurement faces a leaky talent pipeline, as young professionals see the discipline as a mere stepping stone to other more lucrative career paths. This sentiment is amplified by the structure and focus of most organisations’ talent development programmes for procurement, which offer only the most basic and traditional approaches and focus on yesterday’s skill sets rather than future-ready capabilities. This paper explores the root causes of the procurement talent problem and offers actionable solutions for building more relevant, productive, attractive development programmes.

The leaky pipeline of publications and knowledge generation in medical education.

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Correction to: Fixing the Leaky Pipeline for Talented Women in STEM

Correction to: Fixing the Leaky Pipeline for Talented Women in STEM

Leaky pipeline or glass ceiling? Empirical evidence from the German academic career ladder

ABSTRACT Women are underrepresented in leadership positions – academia is no exception. Using data on careers of doctoral graduates in Germany, we study gender differences in the decision to stay at university as a postdoctoral researcher and in the intention to become a professor. We find that gender gaps related to aiming for a professorship can be fully explained by observable characteristics other than gender. On the contrary, even after adding controls for an array of characteristics relevant to academic careers, we find female graduates to be 5.9 percentage points less likely to hold a postdoctoral position which allows them to qualify for professorship.

Academia During the Time of COVID-19: Examining the Voices of Untenured Female Professors in STEM.

This paper highlighted the diverse voices of 84 female-identifying professors in STEM fields who responded to a series of open-ended questions regarding work, family, and tenure experiences in the context of the current global pandemic. The current paper is part of a longitudinal study of the vocational experiences of tenure-track women in STEM that has examined the “leaky pipeline” in women’s academic careers. Consensual Qualitative Research-Modified (CQR-M; ) was implemented to analyze the data. The findings suggested that participants perceived the precarious balance between work and family to have increased in difficulty in the face of COVID-19. Among untenured female faculty with children, an added layer of challenge was noted related to loss of childcare in the wake of the pandemic. The pre-existing, pervasive barriers (i.e., institutional, systemic, and psychological) were further exacerbated by familial barriers for female STEM faculty seeking tenure during COVID-19. Overall, the results indicated missed opportunities within higher education to implement supportive policies for untenured female faculty in STEM. Clinical implications, future research directions, and social advocacy interventions in the context of COVID-19 are discussed.

International consensus statement on challenges for women in cardiovascular practice and research in the COVID-19 era.

The challenges to academic and professional development and career advancement of women in cardiology (WIC), imposed by the pandemic, not only impinge the female cardiologists' "leaky pipeline" but also make the "leakiness" more obvious. This consensus document aims to highlight the pandemic challenges WIC face, raise awareness of the gender equity gap, and propose mitigating actionable solutions derived from the data and experiences of an international group of female cardiovascular clinicians and researchers. This changing landscape has led to the need for highly specialized cardiologists who may have additional training in critical care, imaging, advanced heart failure, or interventional cardiology. Although women account for most medical school graduates, the number of WIC, particularly in mentioned sub-specialties, remains low. Moreover, women have been more affected by systemic issues within these challenging work environments, limiting their professional progression, career advancement, and economic potential. Therefore, it is imperative that tangible action points be noted and undertaken to ensure the representation of women in leadership, advocacy, and decision-making, and increase diversity in academia. Strategies to mitigate the negative impacts of the pandemic need to be taken during this COVID-19 pandemic to ensure WIC have a place in the field of Cardiology.

The Leaky Math Major Pipeline

Retaining mathematics majors is a pressing concern in many departments. We examined the pass rates of students across our mathematics major and then analyzed student persistence between math courses along with the underlying data collection required to make these analyses. We found that mathematics majors leaving the major after successfully completing a mathematics course is a huge issue and particularly prevalent among female and Hispanic students. Finally, we consider why this lack of persistence might exist and possible avenues to assist students in continuing a mathematics major.