Where are the women in science? And what would attract them from other sectors? So asks Jan Bogg, director of the Breaking Barriers Project at the University of Liverpool, UK, in NatureJobs this week (Nature 447, 114; 2007). She discusses means, such as mentoring schemes, by which employers can help to change the culture that has led to an under-representation of women in the profession. “Currently my work is focused on developing the lessons learned into frameworks for change in policy and practice. This includes new research evaluating mid-career women working in the bio- and health-sciences sectors. Issues to be addressed include barriers, drivers and progression to seniority. The challenge for employers is to listen to research evidence and to adapt to changing workforce needs.”

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