It is all too common to hear complaints that there are not enough women in science. Yesterday, Europe’s research commissioner warned an audience in Prague that, “It’s a little like being a magician – take a look at the upper levels of the occupational ladder in science and technology: women disappear!”
Janez Potocnik, along with many before him, points out that there is a ‘leaky pipeline’. While many women pass through universities at the lower levels, relatively few make it to lofty positions.
Potocnik was not just in Prague to re-state previous wisdom though.
The European Commission was launching two new reports on women in science.
One of these details expert recommendations on how women can be helped in scientific careers. With its emphasis on work-life balance and the benefits of career breaks it is a welcome addition to the literature but will hold no real surprises to those who have looked at this topic before.
The second report looks at the sex of the applicants, recipients and gatekeepers of European research funding. Frustratingly, “no very systematic patterns appear in the data obtained”.
In some funding schemes women did better than men, in others, men did better than women. The fact that some funding schemes, such as the Netherlands Research Council, did manage to imbue some balance despite a low representation of women is heartening, as it suggests that with enough effort results can be obtained.
Sadly, as the report itself notes, “The denial of or lack of interest in gender equality appeared to be one of the main sources of imbalance in a large number of European countries.”
And the Research Europe newspaper is reporting this week that the European Commission’s support group for female scientist is facing closure as it cannot find the funding to keep going. Its central European funding is running out and funding from national governments has not been forthcoming.
As he neared the end of his speech Potocnik said that “nothing less than a change of culture” and the modernising of human resources management is needed. This, he says, will take “time, patience, determination and coherence”.
The first two are givens for change in Europe. Some more demonstration of the latter two would be welcome.
The reports
Women in science and technology – Creating sustainable careers
The Gender Challenge in Research Funding – Assessing the European national scenes