Abstract:
At the end of a special meeting held at MIT in January 2001, a statement was released on behalf of the most prestigious U.S. research universities, suggesting that institutional barriers have prevented women scientists and engineers from having a level playing field in these professions. In 2001, the National Science Foundation initiated a new awards program, ADVANCE, which focuses on institutional rather than individual solutions to empower women to participate fully in science and technology. In this study, we evaluate survey responses from almost 400 Professional Oppoutunities for Women in Research and Education (POWRE) awardees from FY '97, '98, '99, '00 which may elucidate problems and opportunities identifed by women scientists and engineers. In addition to other issues, the POWRE respondents consider balancing career and family to be the most significant challenge facing women scientists and engineers today. Based on these results, institutions must seek to remove or at least lower these and other barriers to attract and retain women scientists and engineers. Grouping the survey responses into four categories forms the basis for four corresponding policy areas, which could be addressed at the institutional level to mitigate the difficulties and challenges currently experienced by women scientists and engineers.