Removing Barriers: Women in Academic Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics

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Women in Academic Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Removing Barriers Edited by Jill M. Bystydzienski and Sharon R. Bird Removing Barriers Bystydzienski and Bird INDIANA Movement into academic science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) has been slow for women and other historically underrepresented groups. Not only are they underrepresented in STEM careers, they bear strong evidence that many academic departments are unfriendly to the concerns that keep them from entering careers in these elds. In light of recent controversy surrounding these issues, this particularly timely volume examines reasons for the persistence of barriers that block the full participation and advancement of underrepresented groups in the sciences and addresses how academic departments and universities can remedy the situation. As a whole, the volume shows positive examples of institutions and departments that have been transformed by the inclusion of women and recommends a set of best practices for continuing growth in positive directions. C  Neal B. Abraham, Meryl Altman, Gilbert W. Bassett, Jr., Josephine Beoku-Betts, Sharon R. Bird, Amy Sue Bix, Cynthia Burack, Jill M. Bystydzienski, Molly J. Dingel, Dana A. Dudle, Kirsten Smilla Ebeling, Carla Fehr, Heidi Fencl, Suzanne E. Franks, Sandra L. Hanson, Abbe H. Herzig, Sally Gregory Kohlstedt, Anne J. MacLachlan, Anna M. Martinson, Sue V. Rosser, Karen R. Scheel, Mo-Yin S. Tam, and Virginia Valian. W’ S S  T http://iupress.indiana.edu 1-800-842-6796 J M. B is Director of the Women’s Studies Program and Professor of Sociology at Iowa State University. S R. B is Associate Professor of Sociology and an affiliate of the Women’s Studies Program at Iowa State University. An NWSA Journal Book Removing Barriers e d i t e d b y J I L L M . B Y S T Y D Z I E N S K I a n d S H A R ON R . B I R D Removing Barriers Women in Academic Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics INDIANA UNIVERSITY PRESS Bloomington and Indianapolis This book is a publication of Indiana University Press 601 North Morton Street Bloomington, IN 47404-3797 USA http://iupress.indiana.edu Telephone orders 800-842-6796 Fax orders 812-855-7931 Orders by e-mail iuporder@indiana.edu© 2006 by Indiana University Press All rights reserved No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. The Association of American University Presses’ Resolution on Permissions constitutes the only exception to this prohibition. The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of American National Standard for Information Sciences—Permanence of Paper for Printed Library Materials, ANSI Z39.48-1984. Manufactured in the United States of America Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Removing barriers : women in academic science, technology, engineering, and mathematics / edited by Jill M. Bystydzienski and Sharon R. Bird. p. cm. Papers originally presented at a 2002 conference at Iowa State University, “Retaining Women in Early Academic Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Careers.” Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 0-253-34679-7 (cloth : alk. paper) — ISBN 0-253-21817-9 (pbk. : alk. paper) 1. Women in science—Congresses. 2. Women scientists—Employment—Congresses. 3. Feminism and science—Congresses. I. Bystydzienski, Jill M., date II. Bird, Sharon R., date Q130.R46 2005 305.43′5—dc22 2005017212 1 2 3 4 5 11 10 09 08 07 06 For Nora Gresch To my sister, Rebecca D. Lemcke srb ...