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

Press for the National Academies’ Report

The National Academies’ Beyond Bias and Barriers: Fulfilling the Potential of Women in Academic Science and Engineering offers a broad range of recommendations for action. The report was released in draft form on Monday, September 18, 2006. The report was produced by the Committee on Maximizing the Potential of Women in Academic Science and Engineering and commissioned by the Committee on Science, Engineering, and Public Policy (COSEP).  The Press Release was held by the Committee’s Chair, Donna E. Shalala, President of the University of Miami and former secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in the Clinton administration. The report was dedicated to the memory of Denice Dee Denton.

TV

• NBC Nightly News 9/18 (Shalala) http://video.msn.com/v/us/msnbc.htm?g=B197C69F-D135-4870-A239-1CB8D7DD0A7C&f=00&fg
• NBC Today Show 9/19 (Simmons) http://video.msn.com/v/us/msnbc.htm?g=5e30e888-6536-48b1-bf9d-21c80140ca85&f=00&fg
• News Hour with Jim Lehrer 9/19 (Shalala) http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/science/july-dec06/women_09-19.html

Radio

• Rush Limbaugh 9/19 http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/home/daily/site_091906/content/morning_update.LogIn.html
• NPR Talk of the Nation 9/22 (Zuber) http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6125181

Print

• Elayne Clift (2007) Invisible Biases, Visible Barriers,
  http://news.boloji.com/200701/00382.htm (February 4 from January 6 WFSNEWS)
• Leigh A. Neithardt (2007) Women Hindered in Science and Engineering
  http://www.aaup.org/AAUP/pubsres/academe/2007/JF/NB/Women.htm AAUP, Academe Online (January/ February 2007)
• Philip Jankowski (2007) Women underrepresented in professorships despite high grad rates, study shows,
  http://media.www.dailytexanonline.com/media/storage/paper410/news/2007/01/26/University/Women.Underrepresented.In.Professorships.Despite.High.Grad.Rates.Study.Shows-2679555.shtml?sourcedomain=www.dailytexanonline.com&MIIHost=media.collegepublisher.com (January 26)
• Norka Ruiz Bravo (2007) NEWS FROM THE DIRECTOR OF OER:
  Women in Biomedical Research, NIH Experience Mirrors that of National Academy of Sciences Report
  http://grants.nih.gov/grants/partners/0107Nexus.htm NIH Extramural Nexus (January/ February 2007)
• Jessica Hanzlik (2007) Where are all the girls?
  http://media.www.thelantern.com/media/storage/paper333/news/2007/01/24/Opinion/Where.Are.All.The.Girls-2671390.shtml?sourcedomain=www.thelantern.com&MIIHost=media.collegepublisher.com
  The Lantern: The Student Voice of Ohio State University, January 24, 2007.
• Beth Huetter (2007) Moving beyond bias, SPIE Professional (January)
  http://newsroom.spie.org/x5410.xml (January)
• Ana Mari Cauce (2006) Women in science: looking beyond bias and barriers, Seattle Times,
  http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/opinion/2003483983_cauce19.html (19 December)
• Adam Dylewski (2006) Report: Women in science see progress, but not enough
  http://www.news.wisc.edu/13271.html December 6, 2006, University of Wisconsin-Madison
• Alice M. Agogino (2006) Last Word: Gender Bias in Academe
  http://www.prism-magazine.org/nov06/last_word.cfm,
  Prism Magazine, American Society of Engineering Education, November 2006, Vol. 16, No. 3
• John G. Falcioni (2006) editorial in Mechanical Engineering, “equal opportunity”
  http://www.memagazine.org/nov06/departments/editorial/editorial.html
• Gina Shaw (2006) STUCK ON THE OFF RAMP?: WOMEN NEUROLOGISTS CONFRONT ACADEME’S GLASS CEILING
  http://www.neurotodayonline.com/pt/re/neurotoday/abstract.00132985-200611210-00016.htm;jsessionid=FGxT1gD1tmQfKnpGQCtzS9DmKp1Q4BMNXPXly74VCV22dN1cnn4N!435811249!-949856144!8091!-1
  Neurology Today. 6(22):20-21, November 21, 2006
• APS News online (2006) NAS Study Finds Barriers Remain for Women Physicists.
  http://positron3.aps.org/apsnews/current/110609.cfm November 2006 issue.
• Maxine Singer (2006) Editorial: Beyond Bias and Barriers,
  http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/summary/314/5801/893 AAAS Science (November 12)
• Christine Rosen (2006) The Touchy-Feely Laboratory: The Latest Angst About Women in Science http://www.thenewatlantis.com/archive/14/soa/womenscience.htm,
  The New Atlantis: A Journal of Technology and Society, Fall 2006
• Robert E. Gropp (2006) Washington Watch: National Academy of Sciences Issues Gender Equity Plan, American Institute of Biological Sciences,
  http://www.aibs.org/washington-watch/washington_watch_2006_11.html
  November 11 2006
• Anna Bogdanowicz (2006) Women in Engineering: Addressing the Bias
  http://www.eweek.org/2002/News/Eweek/addressing_bias.shtml
  Engineers Week November 6, 2006, IEEE Global Publication
• Megan McLaughlin (2006) SEX AND SMARTS: UNDER-REPRESENTATION OF WOMEN AMONG SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING FACULTY
  http://www.scq.ubc.ca/?p=690 The Science Creative Quarterly Issue two, Sept-Nov 2006
• Tabitha M. Powledge, AAAS (2006) Beyond Bias and Barriers, AAAS
  http://sciencecareers.sciencemag.org/career_development/previous_issues/articles/2006_10_13/beyond_bias_and_barriers (October 13).
  [The report] released last month by the National Academy of Sciences (NAS), wields data like a weapon to demolish myths that keep university science and engineering departments from employing women.
• American Institute of Physics Bulletin of Science Policy News (2006). There were 3 articles on the report.
  #118 October 5, 2006 highlighted the breadth
  of the report and FYI
  #119 October 5, 2006
  summarized its findings and recommendations.
  #120 (October 6, 2006) Report Refutes Some Common Beliefs About Women in S&E Academe
• Ralph J. Cicerone, Wm. A. Wulf, Harvey V. Fineberg (2006) Women in Science – NY Time Letter To the Editor,
  http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F20F17FB3F540C708CDDA90994DE404482
  (October 3)
• Cathy Young (2006) Math on the X-Y Axis: Women, science, and the gender gap
  http://www.reason.com/news/show/36781.html
  Reason, reasononline, October 3, 2006
• Cathy Young (2006) Women, science, and the gender gap
  http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2006/10/02/women_science_and_the_gender_gap/?rss_id=Boston+Globe+–+Today’s+paper+A+to+Z
  Boston Globe, October 2, 2006
• S Yang (2006) UC’s Berkeley and Davis campuses earn Sloan award for family-friendly policies. UC Berkeley News http://www.berkeley.edu/news/media/releases/2006/09/25_sloan.shtml (September 25).
• Donald Lehr (2006) Bias Against Women In Engineering And Science?
  It’s Not News To Professionals Working Against It Every Day.
  http://www.eweek.org/site/News/Eweek/2006_gender_bias.shtml, September 27, 2006.
• Martha Pollack (2006) Letter to the editor in regards to New York Times article by John Tierney http://www.eecs.umich.edu/eecs/about/articles/2006/Pollack-Oct06.htm (September 26)
• John Tierney (2006) New York Times Editorial “Academy of P.C. Sciences” http://select.nytimes.com/gst/tsc.html?URI=http://select.nytimes.com/2006/09/26/opinion/26tierney.html&OQ=_rQ3D1&OP=71018f8fQ2FQ25Q7EvoQ25Q7DaVddQ7DQ25Q5Exx(Q25x4Q25Q5E(Q25d-rSrdSQ25Q5E(Q7DrvVSvQ7CfgQ7D2p
  (January 26)
• K Mason (2006) Women not as drawn to science. The Breeze (James Mason University) http://www.thebreeze.org/2006/09-25/news3.html (September 25)
• M LePedus (2006) Report finds gender bias in university R&D. EE Times http://www.eetimes.com/news/latest/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=193005395 (September 25)
• B Kantrowicz and J Sciefo (2006) Science and the Gender Gap. Newsweek http://www.berkeley.edu/news/in_news/archives/20060918.shtml (September 25).
• SA Teicher (2006). Awards boost university career flexibility. The Christian Science Monitor http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/0925/p15s01-wmgn.html (September 25).
• A Lawler (2006). Universities Urged to Improve Hiring and Advancement of Women. Science 313: 1712. http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/summary/313/5794/1712?etoc (September 22)
• K Field (2006) Anticipating Federal Report, Higher-Education Groups Suggest ‘Next Steps’ for Colleges. The Chronicle of Higher Education http://chronicle.com/daily/2006/09/2006092201n.htm (September 22).
• (Staff) (2006) Report Cites Bias Against Women. Lexington Herald-Leader http://www.kentucky.com/mld/kentucky/news/science/15569750.htm (September 21).
• L Billings (2006) For women in science, it’s the eureka moment. Pioneer Press. http://www.twincities.com/mld/pioneerpress/news/local/15567950.htm (September 21).
• E Mills (2006). Universities biased against women faculty, report says. CNET.com http://news.com.com/2061-11204_3-6118319.html (September 21).
• B Erbe (2006). Numbers don’t add up for women in math, science. Metro West Daily News http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/columnists/view.bg?articleid=140934 (September 21).
• G Hess (2006). Women In Science Face Widespread Bias Chemical and Engineering News http://pubs.acs.org/cen/news/84/i39/8439women.html (September 20).
• S Jaschik (2006). Bias or Interest? Inside Higher Ed http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2006/09/20/women (September 20).
• (Staff) (2006). Report Finds Women Discriminated Against in Science and Technology Fields Feminist Daily News http://www.feminist.org/news/newsbyte/uswirestory.asp?id=9886 (September 20).
• D Lederman (2006). The Real Barriers for Women in Science Inside Higher Ed http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2006/09/19/women (September 19).
• American Council on Education (ACE) (2006). Research Universities Need to Eliminate Barriers Against Women in Science and Engineering
  http://www.acenet.edu/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Home&TEMPLATE=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm&CONTENTID=18251
  Sept. 19, 2006.
• R VerBruggen (2006). NAS denies gender differences in math ability. Blogger News Network http://www.bloggernews.net/2006/09/nas-denies-gender-differences-in-math.html (September 19).
• J Marsden (2006). NAS study examines gender gap. Yale Daily News http://www.yaledailynews.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=33247 (September 19)
• Network World Staff (2006). Report: Women not getting a fair shake at research universities. Network World http://www.networkworld.com/news/2006/091906-science-engineering-faculties-lacking-women-members.html (September 19)
• InfoZine Staff (2006). Effort Needed to Maximize Potential of Women Scientists and Engineers in Academia. Kansas City InfoZine http://www.infozine.com/news/stories/op/storiesView/sid/17795/ (September 19).
• E Zerhouni (2006). Beyond Bias and Barriers: Fulfilling the Dream of Women in Academic Science and Engineering. NIH News http://www.nih.gov/news/pr/sep2006/od-19.htm (September 19).
• R Traister (2006). Panel: Female scientists are not actually dumber. Salon (September 19)
• M Fox (2006). Study finds bias against women in science. Boston Globe [Reuters]
  http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2006/09/19/report_finds_bias_keeping_women_out_of_science_jobs?mode=PF (September 19).

Reuters article reprinted in:

• New Zealand Herald http://www.nzherald.co.nz/search/print.cfm?c_id=&storyid=0007C7D0-2A64-150F-A72383027AF1010F (September 19)
• Zee News (India) http://www.zeenews.com/znnew/articles.asp?aid=324001&ssid=28&sid=ENV (September 20).
• CivilRights.Org (USA) http://www.civilrights.org/issues/labor/details.cfm?id=47055 (September 19).
• China Daily (China) http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/world/2006-09/19/content_691874.htm (September 19).
• CIO (USA) http://www.cio.com/blog_view.html?CID=24896 (September 18)
• K Gruns (2006). NAS issues report on gender bias. The Scientist http://www.the-scientist.com/news/home/24803/ (September 18).
• A Lawler (2006). Academia Told to Make Room for Women. ScienceNOW http://sciencenow.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/2006/918/1 (September 18)
• (Staff) (2006) Eliminating Gender Bias, a new report from the National Academies Technology News Daily http://www.technologynewsdaily.com/node/4510 (September 18).
• C Dean (2006) Bias Is Hurting Women In Science, Panel Reports The New York Times A22 http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/18/science/19womencnd.html?_r=1&hp&ex=1158638400&en=2a2bbdfc2bad012c&ei=5094&partner=homepage&oref=slogin (September 18)

Associated press

• AP (2006) Gender Still Hinders Women Scientists. Washington Post (September 18).

Listservs and Blogs

• Women in Science, WAGE Newsletter Blog
• Suzanne E Franks of
  “Thus Spake Zuska” blog, “Is Your Report Biased? How To Tell,” 12 December 2006.
• She’s such a geek! blog: women write about science, technolgy and other nerdy stuff.
  First posting Dec. 2006.
• Blog by Rachel Brenc (The Cornell American online)
  Swapping Skirts for Genes: Lack of female engineers from lack of interested women, not bias., October 23rd, 2006
• see jane computer: the adventures of a woman in computing
  News flash: Gender bias is alive and well, October 3, 2006
• George Gordon Roberts (2007)
  Beyond Bias and Barriers, a critical review
• Richard Posner (2006)
  The Shalala Report on Women in Science and Engineering–Posner
  (2 October 2006)
• ALTHOUSE blog,
  Tierney on the “Beyond Bias and Barriers” report, September 26, 2006.
• Feminist Law Professors entry by
  Heidi Kitroser, September 18, 2006.
• Community-Campus Partnerships for Health promotes health (broadly
  defined) through partnerships between communities and higher educational institutions
  www.ccph.info.
  CCPH is the Higher Education Senior Program Advisor for the Learn and Serve America National Service-Learning Clearinghouse
  www.servicelearning.org. Posted September 24.
• Jim Chen’s
  Jurisdynamics blog, September 26, 2006.
• FemaleScienceProfessor blog, September 26, 2006.
• Feminist Law Professors entry by
  Heidi Kitroser, September 22, 2006.
• Student Pugwash
  MindFull: Blogging at the ethical intersection of science, tehnology and policy. blog subject titled:
  Who Says, “Girls Can’t Do Science and Math”?
• Suzanne E Franks of
  “Thus Spake Zuska” blog, 15 September 2006.
• Science and Government Report “In Print”. September

Presentations

• Beyond Bias and Barriers: Women, Science and Society Seminar Series,
  Lotte Bailyn, March, 8, 2007, M.I.T.
• Beyond Bias and Barriers: Gender Equity in Academia, Alice M. Agogino, University of Texas at Austin,
  January 25, 2007. Sponsored by the Office of the Provost,
  the Center for Women’s and Gender Studies, Faculty Women’s Organization,
  Women in Engineering, and Women in the Natural Sciences.
• Beyond Bias and Barriers: Fulfilling the Potential of Women in Academic Science and Engineering,
  Susan Carlson, Iowa State University, 22 Jan 2007.
• Beyond Bias and Barriers: The National Academy of Sciences Report on Women in Academic Science and Engineering
  Profs. Joan Steitz and Meg Urry and Deputy Provost Kim Bottomly, 11 December 2006.
• Transforming the Culture of Academic Science and Engineering: Removing Barriers for Women,
  Jo Handelsman, Wisconsin Alumni Association, November 9, 2006
• Transforming the Culture of Academic Science and Engineering: Removing Barriers for Women
  Panel: Lotte Bailyn, Deborah Cotton, Eve Riskin, Debra Rolison (discussants: David Campbell and Karen Antman),
  Boston University Women in Science and Engineering (BU WISE), 3 November 2006
• Vivian Pinn, MD, director of the Office of Research on Women’s Health at the National Institutes of Health,
  October 17, 2006, Stanford University, “Women bioscientists still face challenges to upward mobility, top NIH official says in campus talk”
• “Experts Meet at AAAS to Evaluate Ways to Recruit and Retain Women in S&T”,
  AAAS Committee on Opportunities in Science, 12-13 October, 2006.

 

Originally compiled by Laurel Haak at the National Research Council.
Updated by