This annotated bibliography is a collection of articles on various topics that address gender and other diversity issues in STEM disciplines. It is updated regularly and is not an exhaustive list.
"Body? What Body? Considering Physical Ability and Disability In STEM Disciplines." Amy E. Slaton. Drexel University. ASEE Annual Conference. June 23-26, 2013.
This conference paper explores issues surrounding disability studies within STEM fields and how virtually invisible this literature remains. It documents presumptions made about students’ abilities, about the nature of learning in STEM fields, and about precision and accuracy in scientific data as functions of some bodies and not others.
http://www.asee.org/public/conferences/20/papers/7526/download
"The Medicalization of Reasonable Accommodation." Joseph Stramondo. Philosophy Commons. January 31, 2015.
This article highlights the barriers and disincentives created in higher education by requiring medical verification of disabilities that require accommodation. The author argues that by requiring medical verification, in an attempt to secure against fraudulent claims, the ADA procedures in colleges and universities become more of a disincentive or barrier for differently abled people.
Fake Cover Letters Expose Discrimination against Disabled
By: Noam Schieber
The New York Times, November 2, 2015
Researchers sent out resumes and cover letters on behalf of fictitious candidates for thousands of accounting jobs found that employers expressed interest in candidates who disclosed a disability 26% less frequently than other candidates who did not. The only difference between the identically qualified candidates was the cover letters, which revealed a disability for some and not for others.
"Hidden in Plain Sight: Asian American Leaders in the Silicon Valley." Buck Gee, Denise Peck & Janet Wong. May 2015. The Ascend Foundation.
Analysis of the Executive Parity Index (EPI) in Silicon Valley’s Google, Yahoo, LinkedIn, Intel & Hewlett Packard indicate an Asian glass ceiling. The study found that white men and white women are at or above parity, all minority men and minority women are significantly below parity, and the negative impact of race is 3.7x more significant that the impact of gender.
"Faculty Diversity: We Still Have A lot to Learn." Lucinda Roy. November 18, 2013. The Chronicle of Higher Ed.
Many administrators and departments are struggling more than ever as they compete for a tiny pool of diverse candidates. The result of decades of effort to increase faculty diversity, particularly when it comes to underrepresented minorities has been disappointing. Difficulties around cross-racial dialogue, and training in academe add to limited budgets for diversity efforts on campuses. Establishing supportive environment before new faculty arrives as well as mentoring are some of the solutions proposed in this article.
http://chronicle.com/article/Faculty-Diversity-Still-a-Lot/143095/
"Scientist 'killed Amazon Indians to test race theory.'" Paul Brown. September 23, 2000. The Guardian.
Article discusses, Darkness in El Dorado, a book by the investigative journalist Patrick Tierney, which accuses James Neel, the geneticist who headed a long-term project to study the Yanomami people of Venezuela in the mid-60s, of using a virulent measles vaccine to spark off an epidemic that killed hundreds and probably thousands. Once the epidemic was under way the research team "refused to provide any medical assistance to the sick and dying Yanomami. Tierney exposes that the US atomic energy commission funded the study, which was anxious to discover what might happen to communities when large numbers were wiped out by nuclear war.
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2000/sep/23/paulbrown
"Racial stereotypes may affect how we perceive language: study." Lauren Sundstrom. May 26, 2015. Vancitybuzz.com.
Article discusses study who listened to Canadian-born people who are white and of Chinese descent and found they perceived both groups equally as well when they were not aware of their race. They found people of Chinese descent harder to understand only when they saw their picture. When people in the study knew the voice they were listening to belonged to a white person, they were rated as having less of an accent, whereas results for the people of Chinese descent remained consistent.
http://www.vancitybuzz.com/2015/05/racial-stereotypes-may-affect-perceive-language-study/
"How Racial Feelings Trump Facts: New Book by Ithaca College Professor Explores Link between Emotions and Contemporary Racial Violence." May 28, 2015. Newswise.com
Book review of Ithaca professor, Paula Ioanide’s book “The Emotional Politics of Racism: How Feelings Trump Facts in and Era of Colorblindness” that uses four case studies from the last 20 years to illustrate the powerful undercurrents of sentiment that shape our society’s oppressive discourses and policy decisions on crime, social welfare, immigration and terrorism despite most Americans’ claims to be against racial and gender bias.
"Black and Latina Women Scientists Sometimes Mistaken for Janitors." Brigid Schulte. February 6, 2015. Washington Post.
Article discusses stereotypes and biases women of color scientists encounter on the job. Some include: having to prove themselves continuously, walking a tightrope between being perceived as too masculine or too feminine, the maternal wall and motherhood bias, and experiences of “tug of war” by the few women in the company, academy or labs who compete for select “token” female slots.
Barriers to Career Success for Minority Researchers in the Behavioral Sciences
By: Rebecca R. Kameny, Melissa E. DeRosier, Lorraine C. Taylor, Janey Sturtz McMillen, Meagan M. Knowles, and Kimberly Pifer
Journal of Career Development, February 2014
DOI: 10.1177/0894845312472254
Abstract: The United States falls short in the diversity of its scientific workforce. While the underrepresentation of minority researchers in the behavioral sciences has been a concern for several decades, policy and training initiatives have been only marginally successful in increasing their number. Diversity plays a critical role in our nation’s capacity for research and innovation, yet current approaches prove inadequate. The current study used a qualitative approach to investigate the institutional, cultural, skills, and personal career barriers faced by minority researchers in the behavioral sciences. Data were collected from a select group of minority researchers (defined for this study as women and/or people of color) who attended a 3-and-one-half-day intensive workshop developed specifically to address career barriers. Seventy-two percent (n = 43) encountered workplace barriers relating to race/ethnicity; 26% reported barriers related to gender. Implications for policy and practice are discussed.
Biomedical Research's Unpaid Debt
By: Winston E Thompson, Roland A Pattillo, Jonathan K Stiles, and Gerald Schatten
EMBO Reports, April 2014
DOI: 10.1002/embr.201338274
Abstract: African Americans suffered exploitation and discrimination in biomedical research long after the abolition of slavery and still face inequalities in research today. The NIH has begun to redress these historical and present-day injustices.
Experiences of Mentors Training Underrepresented Undergraduates in the Research Laboratory
By: Amy J. Prunuske, Janelle Wilson, Melissa Walls, and Benjamin Clarke
Life Sciences Education, Fall 2013
DOI: 10.1187/cbe.13-02-0043
Abstract: Successfully recruiting students from underrepresented groups to pursue biomedical science research careers continues to be a challenge. Early exposure to scientific research is often cited as a powerful means to attract research scholars with the research mentor being critical in facilitating the development of an individual's science identity and career; however, most mentors in the biological sciences have had little formal training in working with research mentees. To better understand mentors’ experiences working with undergraduates in the laboratory, we conducted semistructured interviews with 15 research mentors at a public university in the Midwest. The interviewed mentors were part of a program designed to increase the number of American Indians pursuing biomedical/biobehavioral research careers and represented a broad array of perspectives, including equal representation of male and female mentors, mentors from underrepresented groups, mentors at different levels of their careers, and mentors from undergraduate and professional school departments. The mentors identified benefits and challenges in being an effective mentor. We also explored what the term underrepresented means to the mentors and discovered that most of the mentors had an incomplete understanding about how differences in culture could contribute to underrepresented students’ experience in the laboratory. Our interviews identify issues relevant to designing programs and courses focused on undergraduate student research.
"Advancing Women in Oceanography. How NSF’s ADVANCE Program Promotes Gender Equity in Academia." Mary Ann Holmes. 2014. Oceanography.
Article discusses academic institutional barriers such as lack of networks, mentors and advocates for women STEM faculty. Solutions include implicit bias education, development workshops and addressing the stop-tenure-clock and dual careers policies. Focus is centered on transforming the institution.
http://www.tos.org/oceanography/archive/27-4_supp_holmes.pdf
"We Don’t Need More STEM Majors. We Need More STEM Majors with Liberal Arts Training." Loretta Jackson-Hayes. February 18, 2015. The Washington Post.
Jackson-Hayes argues that the artificial line between science and liberal arts/humanities disadvantages STEM students. Calling for a balanced integration of courses in science and humanities will produce the highest quality student creating a better STEM discipline. http://www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2015/02/18/we-dont-need-more-stem-majors-we-need-more-stem-majors-with-liberal-arts-training/
"Breaking Barriers and Creating Inclusiveness: Lessons of Organizational Transformation to Advance Women Faculty in Academic Science and Engineering." Diana Bilimoria, Simy Joy, and Xiangfen Liang. 2008. Wiley Interscience.
To increase the participation and representation of women and other minorities in organizations, workplaces need to become more inclusive. For this change to be sustainable and successful, organizations must systematically break down barriers constraining women’s participation and success. This study looks at 19 universities that have participated in the NSF ADVANCE Institutional Transformation program. It describes facilitating factors, program initiatives, institutionalization, and outcomes of transformation. It also suggests a transformation model that all organizations can use to create an inclusive and productive workplace for a diverse workforce.
http://www.case.edu/provost/ideal/doc/Bilimoria_Breaking_Barriers.pdf
"What Makes Women Stay?" Society of Women Engineers, Winter 2015.
Studies show that women are more likely to complete PhD’s in STEM when they are enrolled in departments that have relatively higher proportions of female faculty. This article explores ways in which women with PhD’s in engineering and industry experience can play leadership roles in the academy. It also talks about the importance of attracting women of color into STEM leadership roles.
"Women in Academic Science: A Changing Landscape." Stephen J. Ceci, Donna K. Ginther, Shulamit Kahn, and Wendy M. Williams. 2014. Association for Psychological Science.
This article claims that gender discrimination is no longer a relevant cause as to why there are not as many women in STEM fields as other fields. It claims that pre-college factors relating to mathematical learning experiences are the root causes of a lack of women in STEM fields, particularly the more mathematically intensive fields.
http://www.psychologicalscience.org/index.php/publications/women-in-academic-science.html
"Why Just Filling the Pipeline Won’t Diversify STEM Fields." Audrey Williams June. February 23, 2015. Chronicle of Higher Education.
A recent study of 1500 biomedical PhDs strongly suggests that women and underrepresented minorities show disproportionately low interest in pursuing a career in academia at a research university after completion. This upsets the theory that just getting a more diverse spread of people into the pipeline itself will increase diversity in STEM fields overall. This study suggests that other structural elements that decrease the support for women and underrepresented minorities in STEM fields in academia need to be more thoroughly explored.
http://chronicle.com/article/Why-Just-Filling-the-Pipeline/190253/
"Career Stage Differences in Pre-Tenure Track Faculty Perceptions of Professional and Personal Relationships with Colleagues." Luis Ponjuan, Valerie Martin Conley, Cathy Trower. The Journal of Higher Education. May/June 2011.
This article examines the relationship between pre-tenure faculty members in different career stages during their tenure process and their perceptions of professional and personal relationships with senior colleagues and peers. Due to the employment shifts in faculty demographics (i.e., gender, race), particular attention is paid to the perceptions of female faculty and faculty of color.
"Disciplines That Expect ‘Brilliance’ Tend to Punish Women, Study Finds." Madeline Will. January 15, 2015. Chronicle of Higher Education.
New research has found that women tend to be underrepresented in disciplines whose practitioners think innate talent or "brilliance" is required to succeed. According to the findings, that’s true across science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, the STEM fields; humanities; and the social sciences. The study’s authors suggested several reasons women could be underrepresented in fields that value raw talent. There could be bias, often unconscious, among the discipline’s practitioners. Women might also self-select out of those fields, either because they have internalized the stereotype that they are not as innately talented as men or because they anticipate a difficult work atmosphere in which they constantly must prove their worth.
http://chronicle.com/article/Disciplines-That-Expect/151217/
See also: http://www.sciencemag.org/content/347/6219/262
"How To Attract Female Engineers." Lina Nilsson. April 27, 2015. New York Times Op Ed.
This opinion piece talks about making engineering work more societally meaningful as a way to attract more women into the field. The author’s reasoning is based on her experience in reaching 50 percent female enrollment without even aiming to do so purposefully. The program was one of the Blum Center for Developing Economies new programs. She argues that women seem to be drawn to engineering projects that attempt to achieve societal good.
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/27/opinion/how-to-attract-female-engineers.html
"The Not Quite Stated, Awful Truth." Beryl Lieff Benderley. Science Magazine. January 8, 2015.
This article talks about the problems with post-doc appointments in science. It argues that for all but a small percentage of aspiring researchers, doing a postdoc at a university is a lousy idea because it will never result in an academic job, nor will it advance one’s career. This article also talks about how there is a mismatch between the number of post doc positions and actual career positions requiring that kind of research experience.
"Tech Diversity Bingo." Cate Huston & Karen Catlin. 2014. MaleAllies.com.
Created by two technical women with different perspectives on a critical event in the history of gender diversity in tech. Now they’re working together to pave the way to a better world with examples of what men can do to improve the industry by playing bingo. http://www.maleallies.com/?p=64
"Meeting the Challenges of an Increasingly Diverse Workforce: Women in Astronomy and Space Science." Anne L. Kinney, Diana Khachadourian, Pamela S. Millar & Colleen N. Hartman. October 21-23, 2009. Conference, University of Maryland University College.
This is a comprehensive 361-page document that covers the proceedings of a three-day conference on the topic of women and diversity in space sciences. Document includes, but is not limited to: Mentoring & the Imposter Syndrome in Astronomy Graduates, Gender Differences at Critical Transitions in Careers of SEM Faculty, Addressing Unconscious Bias, Managing & Supporting Career Breaks in the Sciences, Parenthood: The Elephant in the Laboratory, Unearned Advantage and Disadvantage as Work Impediments, What it Takes to Become a Principal Investigator, Writing Research Proposals for NASA, and NSF Proposals: How Not to Get Funded. Further topics of conversation include Programs for Success, Gender Imbalance, Diversity and LGBT Issues, and Career Choices & Work Life Balance.
http://wia2009.gsfc.nasa.gov/WIA2009_proceedings.pdf
"Solving the Equation: The Variables for Women’s Success in Engineering and Computing." Christianne Corbet & Catherine Hill. March 2015. AAUW.
Paper asks why there are still so few women in the critical fields of engineering and computing and explains what we can do to make these fields open to and desirable for all employees. Chapter topics: Women in Engineering, Why So Few? Gender Bias and Evaluations, Gender Bias and Self Concepts, Stereotype Threat in the Workplace, Making the World a Better Place, College Environment and Curriculum, Persistence and Sense of Fit, A Workplace for Everyone, and What Can We Do?
http://www.aauw.org/research/solving-the-equation/
"New Report Says Cluster Hiring Can Lead to Increased Faculty Diversity." Coleen Flaherty. May 1, 2015. Inside Higher Ed.
Article discusses report on cluster hiring practices as a way to advance faculty diversity or other aspects of the college or university mission, such as teaching or community engagement and concludes that when done right is a powerful way to build both institutional excellence and faculty diversity. Report analyzes impact on diversity and climate, negative effects and shifting the culture around cluster hiring practices.
Science Careers: Now offering advice for privileged men from 30 years ago
Tenure, She Wrote Blog, July 13, 2015
This blog is about Science publishing an essay under the heading “Working Life.” The essay is a first-person account of one path to success in a research career. Problematically, the path that Science chose to feature is one that it is inaccessible to most people today – as I’ll discuss below. When Science showcases such paths, they demonstrate that they are either out of touch with or don’t care about the reality of the majority of young scientists who are not white, het-, cis-, able-bodied and slavishly devoted to their work. I’m sure that some people will argue that this first-person essay is not Science saying that this is the way to succeed in a career, it’s simply one author’s advice. But Science gave it the page space and ink, rather than choosing to print a more inclusive (and probably more useful) career section.
Men Think They Are Math Experts, Therefore They Are
Released by Springer
Science Newsline, June 24, 2015
http://www.sciencenewsline.com/news/2015062401230053.html
Just because more men pursue careers in science and engineering does not mean they are actually better at math than women are. The difference is that men think they are much better at math than they really are. Women, on the other hand, tend to accurately estimate their arithmetic prowess, says Shane Bench of Washington State University in the U.S., leader of a study in Springer's journal Sex Roles.
Men (on the Internet) Don’t Believe Sexism is a Problem in Science, Even When They See Evidence
By: Rachel Feltman
The Washington Post, January 8, 2015
To see how different genders reacted to evidence of bias in science (on the Internet, anyway), researchers looked at the comment threads of three articles about studies on the issue, and quantified the responses.
Meet 12 Badass Scientists…Who Also Happen to be Women
By: Karen Eng
Medium, October 8, 2015
This article talks about 12 exceptional scientists who are also women. They gathered at the TEDFellows retreat in Pacific Grove, CA in August 2015. Each scientist is highlighted in the article.
Now Hiring! Empirically Testing a Three-Step Intervention to Increase Faculty Gender Diversity in STEM
By: Jessi L. Smith, Ian M. Handley, Alexander V. Zale, Sara Rushing and Martha A. Potvin
BioScience, October 10, 2015
DOI: 10.1093/biosci/biv138
Abstract: Workforce homogeneity limits creativity, discovery, and job satisfaction; nonetheless, the vast majority of university faculty in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields are men. We conducted a randomized and controlled three-step faculty search intervention based in self-determination theory aimed at increasing the number of women faculty in STEM at one US university where increasing diversity had historically proved elusive. Results show that the numbers of women candidates considered for and offered tenure-track positions were significantly higher in the intervention groups compared with those in controls. Searches in the intervention were 6.3 times more likely to make an offer to a woman candidate, and women who were made an offer were 5.8 times more likely to accept the offer from an intervention search. Although the focus was on increasing women faculty within STEM, the intervention can be adapted to other scientific and academic communities to advance diversity along any dimension.
Hundreds of Scientists Ask Science to Stop Publishing a Smorgasbord of Stereotypes
By: Rachel Feltman
The Washington Post, July 17, 2015
More than 300 scientists and counting have signed an open letter to the journal Science, according to scientific publishing watchdog Retraction Watch. The letter, which has been circulated among scientists on social media sites such as Facebook, takes the prestigious journal to task for promoting harmful stereotypes against women and other marginalized groups. The problem, these scientists say, is that the industry remains an unwelcoming place for minorities.
Gender Bias against Women of Color in Science: An Interview with Professor Joan Williams
By: Lisa Levey
Work and Family Researchers Network, May 2015
Abstract: Over several decades, social scientists have identified clear patterns of gender bias that women encounter at work. Yet little is understood about the nuances of how these patterns manifest for women of color. The Spring 2015 WFRN Research Spolight features an interview by Lisa Levey with Joan Williams, Distinguished Professor of Law at UC Hastings, on her research exploring how gender plays out in the everyday interactions of women scientists and how they differ by race and ethnicity. Professor Williams partnered with colleagues Katherine Phillips at the Columbia Business School and Erika Hall at Emory University (formerly a graduate student at Northwestern) to conduct 60 in-depth interviews with women of color scientists. In addition, they surveyed more than 500 women to quantify the experiences of White, Black, Asian-American and Latina women in STEM.
Barriers to Career Success for Minority Researchers in the Behavioral Sciences
By: Rebecca R. Kameny, Melissa E. DeRosier, Lorraine C. Taylor, Janey Sturtz McMillen, Meagan M. Knowles, and Kimberly Pifer
Journal of Career Development, February 2014
DOI: 10.1177/0894845312472254
Abstract: The United States falls short in the diversity of its scientific workforce. While the underrepresentation of minority researchers in the behavioral sciences has been a concern for several decades, policy and training initiatives have been only marginally successful in increasing their number. Diversity plays a critical role in our nation’s capacity for research and innovation, yet current approaches prove inadequate. The current study used a qualitative approach to investigate the institutional, cultural, skills, and personal career barriers faced by minority researchers in the behavioral sciences. Data were collected from a select group of minority researchers (defined for this study as women and/or people of color) who attended a 3-and-one-half-day intensive workshop developed specifically to address career barriers. Seventy-two percent (n = 43) encountered workplace barriers relating to race/ethnicity; 26% reported barriers related to gender. Implications for policy and practice are discussed.
#Ilooklikeanengineer Wants to Challenge Your Ideas about Who Can Work in Tech
By: Susan Svrluga
Washington Post, August 4, 2015
This article calls attention to the #ilooklikeanengineer hashtag started by a female platform engineer from San Francisco after her company used her image in an advertisement. A lot of negative comments began circulating about how she did not “look” like an engineer. She created the hashtag and hundreds of other women (and some men) joined in to share what real life engineers look like.
Diversity is for White People: The Big Lie behind a Well-Intended Word
By: Ellen Berrey
Salon, October 26, 2015
This article explores what diversity is understood to mean, by various people, and how it stands in as a code word when we (white people) are uncomfortable talking about race. Diversity is how we talk about race when we can’t talk about race. It has become a stand-in when open discussion of race is too controversial or — let’s be frank — when white people find the topic of race uncomfortable. Diversity seems polite, positive, hopeful. Who is willing to say they don’t value diversity? The term diversity has become so watered down that it can be anything from code for black people to a profit imperative.
Diversity Makes You Brighter
By: Sheen S. Levine and David Stark
New York Times, December 9, 2015
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/09/opinion/diversity-makes-you-brighter.html
The authors of this article did a study on diversity and how it actually benefits people. Their study shows that diversity improves the way people think. It prompts people to scrutinize facts, think more deeply and develop their own opinions. Diversity benefits the majority and the minority, alike.
Diversity Training Is in Demand. Does It Work?
By: Steve Kolowich
The Chronicle of Higher Education, November 20, 2015
http://chronicle.com/article/Diversity-Training-Is-in/234280
This articles highlights research done on the effectiveness of diversity training programs on college campuses and other workplaces. Findings conclude that while diversity trainings help to change the way people think, they do not always change the way people feel. There is no strong evidence to suggest that diversity training changes people’s attitude over the long term. The researchers did, however, learn that people can learn new ways of thinking about things like race and that thinking can lead people to act against their feelings and instincts. The research finds that real change takes time and commitment and diversity training should not just be used as a checkbox.
Diversity and the Ivory Ceiling
By: Joya Misra and Jennifer Lundquist
Inside Higher Ed, June 26, 2015
While many associate professors experience frustration at midcareer, these experiences vary for faculty of differing races and ethnicities. Diversity is a key issue in higher education and many efforts focus on recruiting faculty of color. Fewer initiatives consider how to ensure that diverse faculty members thrive and are retained, although retention and promotion is clearly another piece of the puzzle. These issues are not simply about the missing numbers of Ph.D.s of color; a larger proportion of Ph.D.s of color than white Ph.D.s leave academe at every turning point.
Want More Innovation? Get More Diversity
By: Willemien Kets
The Chronicle of Higher Education, November 23, 2015
http://chronicle.com/article/Want-More-Innovation-Get-More/234289
This article highlights research that suggests that university administrators who do not work hard to attract and retain African-American faculty may well be missing out on an important benefit: Academic departments that are more diverse may produce more unorthodox ideas and do more original work. In the academic world, where there is a big premium on being the first to come up with an idea, this is a major benefit.
Groups of Diverse Problem Solvers Can Outperform Groups of High-Ability Problem Solvers
By: Hong L and Page SE
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, November 16, 2004
DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0403723101
Abstract: We introduce a general framework for modeling functionally diverse problem-solving agents. In this framework, problem-solving agents possess representations of problems and algorithms that they use to locate solutions. We use this framework to establish a result relevant to group composition. We find that when selecting a problem-solving team from a diverse population of intelligent agents, a team of randomly selected agents outperforms a team comprised of the best-performing agents. This result relies on the intuition that, as the initial pool of problem solvers becomes large, the best-performing agents necessarily become similar in the space of problem solvers. Their relatively greater ability is more than offset by their lack of problem-solving diversity.
Improving Diversity in Higher Education - Beyond the Moral Imperative
By: Amit Mrig
Forbes, November 23, 2015
This article makes the case for the business model of diversity, in light of recent events across college campuses in the U.S. Institutions must begin thinking much more strategically about talent management models that prioritize diversity. Most universities already have guidelines for search committees that provide excellent and detailed counsel on how to widen and diversify candidate pools. So where is the disconnect? Most universities’ efforts to attract and retain diverse candidates start and end with the search committee process. Efforts are made to attract a diverse set of candidates, but after that, very little is done to ensure biases are removed from the hiring process. Once hires are made, most HR systems don’t effectively develop, reward, and retain people of color.
Maximizing the Gains and Minimizing the Pains of Diversity: A Policy Perspective
By: Galinsky AD, Todd AR, Homan AC, Phillips KW, Apfelbaum EP, Sasaki SJ, Richeson JA, Olayon JB, Maddux WW
Perspectives on Psychological Science, November 10, 2015
DOI : 10.1177/1745691615598513
Abstract: Empirical evidence reveals that diversity-heterogeneity in race, culture, gender, etc.-has material benefits for organizations, communities, and nations. However, because diversity can also incite detrimental forms of conflict and resentment, its benefits are not always realized. Drawing on research from multiple disciplines, this article offers recommendations for how best to harness the benefits of diversity. First, we highlight how two forms of diversity-the diversity present in groups, communities, and nations, and the diversity acquired by individuals through their personal experiences (e.g., living abroad)-enable effective decision making, innovation, and economic growth by promoting deeper information processing and complex thinking. Second, we identify methods to remove barriers that limit the amount of diversity and opportunity in organizations. Third, we describe practices, including inclusive multiculturalism and perspective taking, that can help manage diversity without engendering resistance. Finally, we propose a number of policies that can maximize the gains and minimize the pains of diversity.
Now Yale Faces the Hard Part: Turning $50 Million Into Faculty Diversity
By: Sarah Brown
The Chronicle of Higher Education, November 5, 2015
http://chronicle.com/article/Now-Yale-Faces-the-Hard-Part-/234065
Yale plans to spend $50 million over the next 5 years to increase faculty diversity. What remains to be seen is if money can actually help create diversity.
Racial Disparities in Higher Education: an Overview
By: Beckie Supiano
The Chronicle of Higher Education, November 10, 2015
http://chronicle.com/article/Racial-Disparities-in-Higher/234129
This article looks at the statistics of racial disparities across college campuses in the U.S., in light of current events.
Does Search Committee Diversity Produce Results?
By: Matthew Reisz
Inside Higher Ed, August 13, 2015
Having more women on committees that select academics for jobs does not increase the chances for female candidates and may actually do the opposite, according to a study of Italian and Spanish universities.
"Does Gender Matter?" Ben A. Barres. 2006. Nature.com.
Article argues against the hypothesis that women are not advancing in STEM fields because of innate inability rather than because of bias or other factors and argues that this “Larry Summers Hypothesis” amounts to nothing more than victim blaming and is harmful to women. Barres suggests that enhancement of leadership diversity in academic and scientific institutions, diverse faculty role models, less silence in the face of discrimination, and enhancing fairness in competitive selection processes as strategies to help women advance in the sciences. http://www.transfriendly.co.uk/library/nature-442133a.pdf
"When Women Stopped Coding. Interview with Steve Henn and Patty Ordonez." NPR. October 21, 2014.
This interview explores the history of women in computer science. Prior to 1984, the number of women in computer science grew at a faster rate than the number of men. With the invention of the personal computer, which was marketed as a toy and targeted at boys, specifically, the number of women in computer science began a steady fall.
“New Documentary Shows What Happens When There Aren’t Enough Women in Tech.” Matt McCue. April 24, 2015. Fortune Magazine.
Article discusses new documentary by Robin Hauser Reynolds that digs into the reasons the tech industry needs more female computer programmers, i.e. women hold 18% or fewer tech positions at places such as Pandora, Google, Yahoo, Facebook, LinkedIn & Twitter.
http://fortune.com/2015/04/24/women-tech-documentary/
"Women Are Earning Greater Share of STEM Degrees, but Doctorates Remain Gender-Skewed." John Matson. April 16, 2013. Scientific American.
In 2008, for the first time, U.S. women earned more doctorates in biology than men did. But advanced degrees in other core disciplines of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) remain stubbornly gender-imbalanced. Analysis indicators point toward gender parity the prospect of short-term postdoctoral jobs that complicate child rearing, and a lack of role models.
"Study suggests STEM faculty hiring favors women over men." Colleen Flaherty. April 14, 2015. Inside Higher Ed.
Wendy M. Williams and Stephen Ceci at Cornell argue that past studies of gender bias in STEM hiring don’t focus on faculty positions, where there isn’t really a problem and find an overall 2 to 1 preference for hiring women in STEM in a recent study. Arguments regarding low numbers of existing women faculty in STEM and highly qualified candidates compared to merely excellent candidates challenge this study.
"Gender Equity in Science: Achievement Unlocked?" Joanna Korman & Stephanie Goodwin. May 22, 2015. The Inquisitive Mind.
In response to Williams & Ceci (2015) 2:1 hiring preference for female over male candidates for tenure-track jobs in STEM, this article deconstructs how the research was conducted and what can and cannot be concluded from their results. They conclude from the study that when judging two exceptionally qualified final candidates with explicitly defined and identical lifestyles, faculty seem to err on the side of improving gender equity in their disciplines. This does suggest that efforts to inform the professoriate about the need for gender equity is having an impact, but only when “all other things” are equal.
http://www.in-mind.org/blog/post/gender-equity-in-science-achievement-unlocked
"The 24/7 Work Culture’s Toll on Families and Gender Equality." Claire Cain Miller. May 28, 2015. The New York Times.
Article discusses Harvard study that examines a global consulting firm where 90 percent of the partners are men who work 60-65 hours per week, asking what can be done to decrease the number of women who quit and increase the number who were promoted. Study finds when women cut back at work to cope with long hours, they can stunt their careers & neither men or women benefit from extreme work hours.
"Preview: Gender Gap in Science." GG Gadmin. April 2015. Gender Gap Grader.
Article discusses study in gender gap that analyzes attrition rate among women pursuing a scientific career; unconscious gender biases in the way scientists accept a paper for publication or make citations, differences in career paths and grants allocations. Findings identify varying statistics around the gender gap in science, with some improvements and some worsening.
http://gendergapgrader.com/2015/04/preview-gender-gap-in-science/
"Despite Progress Only 1 in 4 University Presidents are Women." Audrey Williams June. March 16, 2015. Chronicle of Higher Education.
Despite progress in hiring female university presidents, including Ivy League, public flagship, historically black, liberal arts and community colleges, women remain significantly underrepresented. Article discusses strategies to quicken a cultural shift in order to level the playing field.
"Science still seen as male profession, according to international study of gender bias." Rachel Bernstein. May 22, 2015. AAAS.org.
Regardless of location stereotype associating science with men are found across the world, even in supposedly gender-equal nations. According to David Miller (Northwestern University) all countries exhibit these stereotypes, yet those with fewer women in science held stronger beliefs that science is for men. This trend holds true for both explicit beliefs, as measured by responses to a statement about associating science with men or women, and implicit associations, determined by a computerized test that probes subconscious associations between science and gender.
"First steps for integrating sex and gender considerations into basic experimental biomedical research." Stacey Ritz, et. al. January 2014. The FASEB Journal.
Sex and gender in biology and medicine are comprehensive understandings of biological phenomena that addresses gaps in medical knowledge have arisen due to a generally masculine bias in research. Unique challenges to the incorporation of sex and gender in work have remained largely unarticulated, misunderstood, and unaddressed in the literature. This article describes some of the specific challenges to the incorporation of sex and gender considerations in research involving cell cultures and laboratory animals. The main- streaming of sex and gender considerations in basic biomedical research depends on an approach that will allow scientists to address these issues in ways that do not undermine the ability to pursue fundamental scientific interests. Article suggests a number of strategies that allow basic experimental researchers to feasibly and meaningfully take sex and gender into account in their work.
http://www.fasebj.org/content/28/1/4.full.pdf+html
"Pentagon to Analyze Grantsmaking Process for Gender Bias." Jeffery Mervis. May 18, 2015. Science Magazine.
Article overviews the intention of the Department of Defense (DOD) to start collecting data on gender of its grant applications and award recipients to help determine if women in science and engineering face any discrimination in the grantmaking process. http://news.sciencemag.org/funding/2015/05/pentagon-analyze-grantsmaking-process-gender-bias
"Consequences of Flexibility Stigma Among Academic Scientists & Engineers." Erin Cech & Mary Blair-Loy. 2014. Work and Occupations.
Flexibility stigma, the devaluation of workers who seek or are presumed to need flexible work arrangements, fosters a mismatch between workplace demands and the needs of professionals. The authors survey “ideal faculty” at a top STEM research university—to determine the consequences of working in an environment with flexibility stigma. Those who report this stigma have lower intentions to persist, worse work–life balance, and lower job satisfaction. These consequences are net of gender and parenthood, suggesting that flexibility stigma fosters a problematic environment for many faculty, even those not personally at risk of stigmatization.
http://wox.sagepub.com/content/41/1/86.full.pdf+html
"Disciplines that Expect Brilliance Tend to Punish Women." Madeline Will. January 15, 2015. Chronicle of Higher Ed.
Cultural obsession with genius might be connected to gender-gap in certain academic fields. Study finds that many disciplines (i.e. STEM) with a small proportion of female PhD students place greater emphasis on brilliance as prerequisites to success while disciplines such as education, psychology, & molecular biology that have a majority of women don’t emphasis on innate brilliance. Ultimately, findings show that the issue is not with women’s aptitude, but in the discipline’s attitude.
http://chronicle.com/article/Disciplines-That-Expect/151217/
"Female Academics Pay Heavy Baby Penalty." Mary Ann Mason. June 24, 2013. Slate.com.
Study looks at women who begin the climb to the top of the Ivory Tower, but do not make it: tenured faculty, full professors, deans, and presidents. The findings show that women pay a “baby penalty” over the course of a career in academia and that babies matter in different ways at different times. Article discusses that family formation negatively affects women’s, but not men’s, academic careers. For men, having children is a career advantage; for women, it is a career killer. are far less likely to be married with children.
"Expectations of Brilliance Underlie Gender Distributions Across Academic Disciplines." Sarah-Jane Leslie, et al. January 16, 2015. Sciencemag.org.
Some scientific disciplines have lower percentages of women in academia than others. Leslie et al. hypothesized that general attitudes about the discipline would reflect the representation of women in those fields. Surveys revealed that some fields are believed to require attributes such as brilliance and genius, whereas other fields are believed to require more empathy or hard work. In fields where people thought that raw talent was required, academic departments had lower percentages of women.
http://www.sciencemag.org/content/347/6219/262
"Paradigms and prejudice." Leif Benderly. December 4, 2014. Science Magazine.
This paper analyzes the question: “Why do women constitute a minority of faculty members, especially in math-intensive fields?” in light of the recently published essay by Williams and Ceci challenging long-established beliefs that academic science is sexist. The conflict between long held views on gender bias in the science and the Williams & Ceci essay that claim there is no gender bias are examined in this paper.
"Force Men to Take Paternity Leave. It Will Make the World a Better Place." Gabrielle Jackson. April 9, 2015. The Guardian.
Article discusses paternity leave policy where incremental change could lead to long-lasting benefits for families, kids, women and men. Five reasons to promote paternity leave are, better and happier dads, greater equality in the workplace, more egalitarian relationships, doing it for the kids, and more sex.
"Women’s Representation in Science Predicts National Gender-Science Stereotypes: Evidence From 66 Nations." David I. Miller, Alice Eagly & Marcia C. Linn. 2014. American Psychological Association.
Research investigating how national differences in women’s science participation related to gender-science stereotypes, associates science with men more than women. Data from 350,000 participants in 66 nations indicated that higher female enrollment in tertiary science education (community college or above) related to weaker explicit and implicit national gender-science stereotypes. Higher female employment in the researcher workforce related to weaker explicit, but not implicit, gender-science stereotypes. These relationships remained after controlling for many theoretically relevant covariates. Implications for instructional practices and educational policies are discussed.
https://d-miller.github.io/assets/MillerEaglyLinn2015.pdf
"Professors Are More Responsive to Prospective Ph.D. Students Who Are White and Male." Katherine L. Milkman, Modupe Akinola & Dolly Chugh. April 17, 2015. Chronicle of Higher Education.
Discussion of article published in Journal of Applied Psychology on the topic of study finding that white male students are much more likely than female or minority students to hear back from faculty member when they send emails asking to meet to talk about the professor’ work and the students’ prospects for doctoral study.
"Op-Ed: The still-tolerated gender bias in science." Sarah M. Demers. March 29, 2013. Ted Talk Blog.
Article discusses how women currently can build up their credentials and compete for the same careers in science as men informed by reports that indicate there is less misogynist rejection of women and less claims about men having more innate scientific ability. However, despite this progress, women still only account for about one in ten physics professors in the U.S. This indicates that there is more talk about eradicating bias than actual action.
http://blog.ted.com/op-ed-the-still-tolerated-gender-bias-in-science/
"Mom, the Designated Worrier." Judith Shulevitz. May 8, 2015. The New York Times.
Article discusses the management of familial duties, “worry work” and the person who does it “designated worrier,” due to the large reserves of emotional energy necessary to stay on top of it all. Sociological studies of heterosexual couples from all strata of society confirm that mothers draft the to-do lists while fathers pick and choose among the items. “Worry work” can scatter a mother’s focus on what she does for pay and knock her partway or off a career path. This distracting grind of apprehension and organization may be one of the least movable obstacles to women’s equality in the workplace.
"More Women Find Room for Babies and Advanced Degrees." Tamar Lewin. May 7, 2015. The New York Times.
Article discusses new data analysis from the Census Bureau indicating a rise of highly educated women who choose to have children, including those women in their mid-forties. Demographers indicate that the ranks of female professionals have also grown, and that women sense that career and motherhood do not need to be mutually exclusive.
"The Gender Divide in Academe: Insights on Retaining More Academic Women." Various authors. The Chronicle of Higher Education. December 12, 2014.
This is a collection of articles that explores a variety of perspectives on the gender gap in higher education, including how some colleges and universities are creating ways to support and retain female academics. Several articles relate directly to STEM fields.
"Women: A Key Element" Center for Sustainable Materials Chemistry. November 5, 2015.
This is a collection of digital stories about women in chemistry.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A2AIxc647UE&feature=youtu.be
"Campus Microclimates for LGBT Faculty, Staff, Students: An Exploration of the Intersections of Social Identity and Campus Roles." Annemarie Vaccaro. Journal of Student Affairs Research and Practice.
An ethnographic study the records the experiences of microclimates on campus for LGBT identifying folks. Findings suggest that LGBT friendly policies alone only go so far in creating warm campus climates for LGBT folks. Many faculty members experienced supportive departments but more hostile overall campus climates, or vice versa. Concerns about homophobic actions/words by students and how that would manifest in negative forms on evaluations, which play a role in P&T, were high on the list of what makes a hostile climate. Additionally, faculty whose scholarship was informed by queer theory felt that the climate was often hostile and unsupportive of their work. Heterosexist curriculum, along with lack of support for their teaching and scholarship were key concerns for LGBT faculty.
http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1515/jsarp-2012-6473?journalCode=uarp20
"Engineering Culture and LGBTQ Engineers’ Use of Social Change Strategies." Mike Ekoniak. IEEE. 2013.
This paper describes the theoretical framework for an investigation of the ways that engineers who identify as LGBTQ navigate engineering cultures. Previous work by Cech and Waidzunas, Bilimoria and Sewart, and Riley describe strategies that LGBTQ engineers use within highly heteronormative engineering cultures. The strategies described in the previous work fall into what Cox and Gallois refer to as social mobility strategies. Because Cox and Gallois assert that these strategies ultimately prove inadequate, this paper calls for investigation of the use of social change strategies within the context of engineering
http://www.computer.org/csdl/proceedings/fie/2013/9999/00/06684890.pdf
"Paying an Unfair Price, The Financial Penalty for LGBT Women in America." March 2015. Center for American Progress.
Article defines LGBT women and identifies the struggle to find good jobs, challenges to good health that impact economic security, and the lack of support for them and their families resulting in higher costs, i.e. pregnancy discrimination, childcare and job protected leave.
http://www.thetaskforce.org/static_html/downloads/reports/reports/unfair_price_lgbt_women.pdf
“Don’t Ask Don’t Tell”: The Academic Climate for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Faculty in Science and Engineering." Diana Bilimoria & Abigail Stewart. Summer 2009. NWSA Journal.
Article discusses the workplace climate for LGBT science and engineering faculty, the role pressures and choices they face, and how it affects their work performance and careers. Faculty describes overt hostility, invisibility, interpersonal discomfort, and pressure to cover their sexuality as opposed to receiving support as the norm. Article proposes a model of career consequences of the academic work environment for LGBT faculty and recommends specific future research and institutional actions to create a more affirming campus climate.
http://www.dso.iastate.edu/sites/advance.oregonstate.edu/files/files/success/21.2.bilimoria.pdf
"Standing Out: Welcoming and networking organizations help lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender scientists to excel." Cameron Walker. January 8, 2014. Nature.
Article discusses the difficulty for LGBT scientists to be open about their identity. Some LGBT have the ability to conform because it is not a visible “trait.” Hiding sexual orientation or gender identity is detrimental to mental health and work. As broader awareness of LGBT scientists grows the science community starts to appreciate the issues that affect them and taking steps to foster a sense of community and possible best-practice guidelines.
http://www.nature.com/naturejobs/science/articles/10.1038/nj7482-249a
"Engineering Culture and LGBTQ Engineers’ Use of Social Change Strategies." Mike Ekoniak. N.d. Computer.org.
Article discusses theoretical framework for way that engineers who identify as LGBTQ navigate highly heteronormative engineering cultures. Existing strategies of social mobility are proven ineffective, Ekoniak calls for an analysis of the use of social change strategies within the context of engineering.
http://www.computer.org/csdl/proceedings/fie/2013/9999/00/06684890.pdf
"Factors Impacting the Academic Climate for LGBQ STEM Faculty." Eric V. Patridge, Ramon S. Barthelemy & Susan R. Rankin. April 30, 2015.
Article employs data from the 2010 State of Higher Education for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender People utilized to assess the experiences of LGBQ faculty from STEM disciplines. Study identifies several factors influencing the academic climate and subsequent career consequences of LGBQ faculty, and finds that the comfort of LGBQ faculty members is a valuable measure for advancing the retention of LGBQ STEM faculty members.
http://www.dl.begellhouse.com/journals/00551c876cc2f027,761a7b37493b2d86,6fe4cda94f55abdf.html
"Why Awareness of LGBT issues in the Physics Community Makes Sense." Janice Hicks. March 2013. Bulletin of the American Physical Society.
Presentation demonstrates the importance of attracting and retaining the best talent (diversity of perspective & knowledge) to science & engineering. Argues that participants who bring authentic identity to work are more efficient. It is also important for LGBT people to be visible in order to benefit from workplace policies such as family leave and other benefits. Presentation discusses some activities to promote a positive view of LBGT folks in S&E by The National Organization of Gay & Lesbian Scientists and Technical Professionals (NOGLSTP) and The American Chemical Society.
http://meetings.aps.org/Meeting/MAR12/Event/161816
"Pride in Science: The sciences can be a sanctuary for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender individuals, but biases may still discourage many from coming out." M. Mitchell Waldrop. September 16, 2014. Nature.
Article looks at degrees of acceptance in coming out for LBGT scientists. Analysis of the fear of coming out due to publications, career progression and promotion are based heavily on the judgment of fellow scientists, which might be influenced by conscious or unconscious bias. Article argues that there is not enough research for funding agencies to know whether LGBT people are over- or under-represented in the research fields, whether there is a need for more support programs and counseling, or whether special fellowships for young LGBT researchers.
http://www.nature.com/news/diversity-pride-in-science-1.15924
"Navigating the Heteronormativity of Engineering: The Experiences of Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Students." Erin A. Cech. July 27, 2010. Engineering Studies.
These articles explores the ways LGB students at major research universities in western US experience and navigate the climate of their engineering college. Article finds both pervasive prejudicial cultural norms and perceptions of competence particular to the engineering profession can limit these students‟ opportunities to succeed, relative to their heterosexual peers.
http://crgp.ucsd.edu/documents/CechandWaidzunasNavigatingHeteronormativityofEngring.pdf
"It’s Never Good to Carry a Secret: Findings of the E&T Magazine, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender (LGBT) Survey." Abby Grogan. August 2014. Engineering & Technology Magazine.
Article surveys and explores LGBT community members experiences around the effects of sexual orientation and the workplace, acceptance of sexuality by colleagues, and whether it is beneficial to be “out and proud” or to stay silent in the Engineering and Technology community.
http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/stamp/stamp.jsp?tp=&arnumber=6882921
"Justice Department Charges University for Denying Tenure Over Transgender Status." Scott Jaschik. March 31, 2015. Inside Higher Ed.
This article discusses the U.S. Justice Department lawsuit against Southeastern Oklahoma State University, charging that it denied tenure to Rachel Tudor, effectively firing her in 2011, over her identity as a transgender woman.
"What gay couples get about relationships that straight couples often don’t." Brigid Schulte. Washington Post. June 4, 2015.
A new study finds that same-sex couples tend to communicate better, share chore duties more fairly and assign tasks based on personal preference -- rather than gender, income, hours worked or power position in the relationship. Straight couples, meanwhile, tend to talk less and fall into to traditional gender roles, what one family describes as “pink chores” and “blue chores.”
'Ask Me': What LGBTQ Students Want Their Professors to Know
By: Julia Schmalz
The Chronicle of Higher Education, September 3, 2015
http://chronicle.com/article/Ask-Me-What-LGBTQ-Students/232797
This is a video that shows transgender, queer, and gender non-binary students sharing what keeps them from feeling safe and thriving on campus.
"UMass Will Not Admit Iranian Students to Certain Science and Engineering Programs." Elizabeth Redden. February 16, 2015. Inside Higher Ed.
A new policy (which was eventually overturned after much criticism) prohibited students from Iran to be admitted to certain STEM programs. The university said that it will no longer admit Iranian nationals to a range of programs: chemical engineering, chemistry, electrical and computer engineering, mechanical and industrial engineering, microbiology, physics, and polymer science and engineering. The school cited US sanctions laws as the basis for this exclusion. Critics say that the school’s interpretation is overly broad and are concerned that other universities will follow UMass’s lead.
"Madam C.E.O., Get Me A Coffee." Sheryl Sandburg and Adam Grant on Women Doing ‘Office Housework.’ February 6, 2015. New York Times.
Article on study of women helping more, but benefiting less in the workplace and proposed solutions by both women and men.
"Forty Years of Title IX: Leadership Matters for Women in Academe." Yvette M. Alex-Assensoh. June 18, 2012. Chronicle of Higher Education, Commentary.
A look at the struggle for women faculty and administrators navigating the current system of academic leadership advancement originally tailored for a 19th century male faculty; i.e. tenure and promotion.
https://chronicle.com/article/40-Years-of-Title-IX-/132311/
"A Racy Silicon Valley Lawsuit, and More Subtle Questions About Sex Discrimination." Claire Miller. March 6, 2015. New York Times
Article discusses the subtle slights and double standards facing women in the workplace and highlighting the complexities of self-promotion, i.e., women who credit themselves for achievements are considered more capable, yet also thought to be less socially attractive and hirable.
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/07/upshot/a-racy-silicon-valley-lawsuit-and-more-subtle-questions-about-sex-discrimination.html?_r=0&abt=0002&abg=1
"Sexism in Silicon Valley and Beyond: Tech Wake-Up Call." Zoe Kleinman. March 30, 2015. BBC News.
Article looks at the grossly disproportionate lack of female employees in the tech fields in the US and UK, specifically, Google, Apple, Facebook & Twitter. The article looks at high incidents of discrimination practices around gender and the maternal clock in tech companies. Comparisons are made to Ellen Pao of Reddit’s unsuccessful lawsuit against Kleiner Perkins.
http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-32115446
"Facebook is Being Sued for Gender and Race Discriminations. Here’s Why." Julia Lurie. March 19, 2015. Mother Jones.
Article on former Facebook employee, Chia Hong, on the race and gender discrimination she “allegedly” experienced, i.e., harassment for taking an allowed personal day off volunteer at her child’s school & blatant discrimination around her looks.
http://www.motherjones.com/mojo/2015/03/facebook-being-sued-gender-and-racial-discrimination
"A New Documentary Shows What Happens When There Aren’t Enough Women in Tech." Matt McCue. April 24, 2015. Fortune.
Robin Hauser Reynolds uncovers the reasons why the tech industry needs more female programmers. As of the middle of 2014, women held less than 18% of tech positions at Pandora, Google, Yahoo, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter. Reynolds zeros in on the business reasons, citing products that are meant to be unisex flopping because they were made by men with men’s specifications. The first voice recognition software did not recognize female voices, for instance. She also focuses on sexism in the workplace, interviewing female tech professionals about their experiences. Reynolds goal is to convince companies of the vital importance of creating a more gender-balanced workforce.
http://fortune.com/2015/04/24/women-tech-documentary/
"Can Blind Interviews Finally Solve Tech’s Diversity Hiring Problem?" Jane Porter. February 23, 2015. Fast Company, Strong Female Lead.
All the lip service about cultural change within companies might have an inverse effect. Researchers from MIT and Indiana University call this the "paradox of meritocracy." They found that managers in organizations emphasizing meritocracy as part of their company culture actually showed greater bias against women in their performance evaluations and rewards. One way to combat this bias is to engage in blind interviews. Research by the Clayman Institute for Gender Research at Stanford revealed that orchestras increased their number of women musicians from 5% to 25% since the 1970s because of one simple change. Judges began auditioning musicians behind screens so that they could not see them. Simply knowing a candidate was a man had automatically upped that man's chances of being selected. GapJumpers gathered data from nearly 1,200 auditions across 13 companies—attempting to see how the numbers stacked up when the early stages of hiring (which tested abilities) were done blindly. They found that male applicants raised concerns about having to prove themselves in a blind test more often than women. Once the blind challenge was completed, the gender breakdown of those candidates hired was 58% women, 42% men. This process doesn’t attempt to change how humans are wired, but rather reduces the possibility of that judgment is based on perception and not evidence of ability.
"You Call It Professionalism; I Call It Oppression in a Three Piece Suit." Carmen Rios. February 15,2015. Every Day Feminism.
Article discusses how dress codes and professional dress requirements are actually oppressive and are racist, sexist, classist, and xenophobic at their core. The author explains how professional dress reinforces the gender binary, may be in conflict with different religious forms of dress, and how women face a particular conundrum; they cannot appear “too masculine” or “too feminine,” or they often lose credibility in their job. This article also speaks to the cost of dressing professionally and this issue contributes to classism.
http://everydayfeminism.com/2015/02/professionalism-and-oppression/
"Rutgers-Camden Law Dean Asks Students to Stop Talking About Women Professors’ Attire in Teaching Evaluations." Colleen Flaherty. January 29, 2015. Inside Higher Ed.
Many female professors have stated that students evaluate them in sexist ways, often having to do with their appearance and attire. Data suggest this is true. Few administrators have spoken out about this student bias in evaluations and tend to see it as an inevitable part of the process. Rutgers-Camden Vice Dean sent an email to students reminding them that their comments live on in the professor’s personnel file and in history. He asks them to reconsider sexist comments.
"Why Working Six Days a Week is a Terrible Idea." Jenna Goudreau. November 18, 2013. Business Insider.
Decades of research show that working longer than 40 hours a week can lead to serious negative effects on health, family life, and productivity. Working long hours can increase your risk of depression, heart attack, and heart disease. Beyond these obvious health effects, working too much can actually impair cognitive function. Even people who love their jobs are at risk for these problems. Family life and intimate relationships also suffer greatly.
http://www.businessinsider.com/why-working-6-days-a-week-is-bad-for-you-2013-11
"Home Economics: The Link Between Work-Life Balance and Income Equality." Stephen Marche. The Atlantic. July/August 2013.
This article critiques both Sheryl Sandberg and Anne-Marie Slaughter’s book and article, respectively, urging women to work more like men and “lean in.” Their solutions really deal with men sharing more of the housework and childcare duties with their wives and women being more assertive and demanding in the workplace to advance into the upper rungs of companies. The author critiques these solutions and asserts that both women and men can’t have it all (in terms of family and career) in a society that doesn’t support the family unit (through daycare, family leave, etc.). He also explores how important life decisions are often more a result of financial needs than gender roles.
http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2013/07/the-masculine-mystique/309401/
"Lean Out: The Dangers For Women Who Negotiate." Maria Konnikova. The New Yorker. June 10, 2014.
Despite Sheryl Sandberg’s advice for women to “lean in” and negotiate harder in the way that most men negotiate and make demands in the workplace, this article highlights several studies and one woman’s experience with leaning in. W, as the woman refers to herself in her blog post on this topic, made an attempt to negotiate her package after landing a tenure-track faculty position at a university only to be told that the employment offer was rescinded. Several studies show that because of implicit gender bias, when women negotiate, it often has the opposite results of what Sandberg asserts will happen. It often backfires.
http://www.newyorker.com/science/maria-konnikova/lean-out-the-dangers-for-women-who-negotiate
"Consequences of Flexibility Stigma Among Academic Scientists and Engineers." Erin A. Cech and Mary Blair-Loy. Work and Occupations. 2014.
Flexibility stigma, which is the devaluation of workers who seek or are presumed to need flexible work arrangements, contributes to a mismatch between workplace demands and the needs of professionals. The authors of this article survey “ideal workers” in STEM units at a top research university to determine the consequences of flexibility stigma on everyone in the work environment.
http://wox.sagepub.com/content/41/1/86.abstract
"In the Ivory Tower, Men Only." Mary Ann Mason. Slate. June 2013.
The most important finding of a recent study is that family formation negatively affects women’s, but not men’s, academic careers. For men, having children is a career advantage; for women, it is a career killer. And women who do advance through the faculty ranks do so at a high price. They are far less likely to be married with children. We see more women in visible positions like presidents of Ivy League colleges, but we also see many more women who are married with children working in the growing base of part-time and adjunct faculty, the “second tier,” which is now the fastest growing sector of academia.
"Sexism in Science: Peer Editor Tells Female Researchers Their Study Needs a Male Author." Rachel Feltman. April 30, 2015. Washington Post.
Two female researchers received one review on their rejected study suggesting they should bring men into the team in order “fix” their problems.
"Updated: Sexist peer review elicits furious Twitter response, PLOS apology." Rachel Burnstein. April 29, 2015. Lee Street.
A peer reviewer’s suggestion that two female researchers find “one or two male biologists” to co-author and help them strengthen a manuscript they had written and submitted to a journal has unleashed an avalanche of disbelief and disgust on Twitter—and prompted an apology from the publisher of the journal, which media reports have identified as PLOS ONE.
"Students See Male Professors as Brilliant Geniuses, Female Professors as Bossy and Annoying." Aviva Shen. February 7, 2015. Think Progress.
Using data from RateMyProfessors.com, Northeastern University professor, Benjamin Schmidt, found that men are more likely to be described as a star, knowledgeable, awesome or the best professor. Women are more likely to be described as bossy, disorganized, helpful, annoying or as playing favorites. Nice or rude are also more often used to describe women than men.
http://thinkprogress.org/education/2015/02/07/3620571/rate-my-professor-sexist/
Female Academics with Partners Less Likely to Collaborate Internationally
By: Beryl Lieff Benderly
Science Careers, October 22, 2015
A partner with a full-time job is a major impediment for many female academics’ ability to engage in international collaborations, report Katrina Uhly of the Centre de Sociologie des Organisations in Paris; Laura Visser, a Ph.D. candidate at Radboud University Nijmegen in the Netherlands; and Kathrin Zippel of Northeastern University in Boston, in Gendered patterns in international research collaborations in academia. The study examined survey results from 13,000 academics in 10 countries. Though children also affected women’s ability to work internationally, the effect of their partners’ work situation was often even greater.
Science Careers: Now offering advice for privileged men from 30 years ago
Tenure, She Wrote Blog, July 13, 2015
This blog is about Science publishing an essay under the heading “Working Life.” The essay is a first-person account of one path to success in a research career. Problematically, the path that Science chose to feature is one that it is inaccessible to most people today – as I’ll discuss below. When Science showcases such paths, they demonstrate that they are either out of touch with or don’t care about the reality of the majority of young scientists who are not white, het-, cis-, able-bodied and slavishly devoted to their work. I’m sure that some people will argue that this first-person essay is not Science saying that this is the way to succeed in a career, it’s simply one author’s advice. But Science gave it the page space and ink, rather than choosing to print a more inclusive (and probably more useful) career section.
"3 Things To Consider When Choosing Between Calling Someone Out Or Calling Them In." Maisha Z. Johnson. March 21, 2015. Everyday Feminism.
Article discusses effective actions to address oppressive behavior even among fellow activists.
http://everydayfeminism.com/2015/03/calling-in-and-calling-out/
“You Won’t Believe What They Said in Class Today”: Professors’ Reflections on Student Resistance in Multicultural Education Courses." Alyssa Hadley Dunn, Erica K. Dotson, Jillian C. Ford, and Mari Ann Roberts. April 30, 2014. Multicultural Perspectives.
This article discusses the ways the authors, as professors of multicultural education with different identities and experiences, attempt to understand and respond to students’ implicit or explicit resistance in the classroom. The authors explore more from a personal, experiential place than an empirical approach. Consideration is given to who the authors are and how they bring various identities to the classroom, which help to shape student commentary.
"In These Times of Racial Strife, A White Professor Explores the Prevalence of ‘White Fragility’." Nick Chiles. Atlanta Black Star. March 18, 2015.
Robin DiAngelo, a professor of multicultural education, explores the prevalence of white fragility. White fragility is the state when white people cannot deal with the stress of facing racism or white supremacy. They often act out or shut down and become defensive. She argues that some white people consciously get defensive, but many white people have a severe emotional reaction. She links this to white supremacy and how society has been constructed to favor and privilege white people from the time they are born.
"Straight Talk For White Men." Nicholas Kristof. The New York Times. February, 21, 2015.
The evidence is overwhelming that unconscious bias remains widespread in ways that systematically benefit both white people and men. White men get a “double dividend” or payoff from racial and gender biases. The author explores the concepts of race without racism and misogyny without misogynists, where well-meaning people who believe in equal rights actually make decisions that transmit racism and sexism. He urges white men, in particular, to step up and acknowledge that they have unconscious bias and not deny it when it is brought to their attention.
"Kyriarchy 101: We’re Not Just Fighting the Patriarchy Anymore." Sian Ferguson. Everyday Feminism. April 2014.
In 1989, Kimberle Crenshaw coined the term “intersectional feminism” to explain the social order that privileges and oppresses people based on race, gender, language, class, sexual orientation, (dis)ability, culture, and so on. This article uses the term kyriarchy, which is more in line with the idea of intersectional feminism and not as problematic as the term patriarchy can be. Kyriarchy seeks to redefine the the analytic category of patriarchy in terms of multiplicative intersecting structures of domination.
http://everydayfeminism.com/2014/04/kyriarchy-101/
"Faculty Diversity: We Still Have A Lot To Learn." Lucinda Roy. The Chronicle of Higher Education. November 18, 2013.
This article asserts that if the desire for diversity is the primary motive for hiring, however well meaning it might be, minority faculty should proceed with caution. The author explains ways that minority faculty members can actually be welcomed and supported, rather than just given lip service about diversity.
http://chronicle.com/article/Faculty-Diversity-Still-a-Lot/143095/
"Joyful White Guys Finish Ahead of Struggling Woman and Black Man in this University’s Catalog." Travis Gettys. March 19, 2015. Raw Story.
University of North Georgia’s catalog depicted white men winning a race, with the women and black man lagging behind on the cover of their course catalog. The University pulled the remaining catalogs and said that this “isolated incident” was not representative of the university’s commitment to diversity.
"The Best States for Women in 11 Maps and Charts." Niraj Chokshi. Washington Post. May 20, 2015.
This article highlight a new report called “The Status of Women in the States.” It shows a quantification of gender inequality in the U.S. broken down by state.
"From Cruelty to Goodness." Philip Hallie.
Hallie considers institutionalized cruelty and how it not only physically assaults its victims, but also assaults their dignity and self respect. For Hallie, the opposite of being cruel , nor is it fighting cruelty with violence and hatred, Rather, it is the unpretentious and unambiguous goodness who follow positive injunctions like the biblical, “Defend the fatherless” and “be your brother’s keeper.”
"In Promoting Campus Diversity, Don’t Dismiss Religion." Eboo Patel. March 11, 2015. The Chronicle of Higher Education.
This article talks about how higher education has done the difficult work of engaging diversity issues related to gender, race, ethnicity, and sexuality, but religious identity is often dismissed or treated with derision. The author argues that celebrating diversity is not just about dealing with differences that you like, but about dealing with the differences that are central to the nation, to students, and to the world.
http://chronicle.com/article/In-Promoting-Campus-Diversity/228427/
"Why America’s Obsession with STEM Education is Dangerous." Fareed Zakaria. March 26, 2015. Washington Post.
Article discusses the perils of national understandings that abandon a liberal education in favor of technical training to ensure that Americans survive in an age defined by technology and global competition. Dismissal of broad-based learning comes from a fundamental misreading of facts that puts American on a dangerously narrow path for the future. Defense of a broad general education argues it fosters critical thinking and creativity, and that exposure to a variety of fields (including science & technology) produces synergy and cross-fertilization.
Racial Disparities in Higher Education: an Overview
By: Beckie Supiano
The Chronicle of Higher Education, November 10, 2015
http://chronicle.com/article/Racial-Disparities-in-Higher/234129
This article looks at the statistics of racial disparities across college campuses in the U.S., in light of current events.
Microaggressions: More than Just Race
By: Derald Wing Sue
Psychology Today, November 17, 2010
This article explains microaggressions and how they can encompass more than just race. It gives the definition of microaggressions and goes on to make the point that racial-based microagressions are only one type and there are many more.
Diversity Training Is in Demand. Does It Work?
By: Steve Kolowich
The Chronicle of Higher Education, November 20, 2015
http://chronicle.com/article/Diversity-Training-Is-in/234280
This articles highlights research done on the effectiveness of diversity training programs on college campuses and other workplaces. Findings conclude that while diversity trainings help to change the way people think, they do not always change the way people feel. There is no strong evidence to suggest that diversity training changes people’s attitude over the long term. The researchers did, however, learn that people can learn new ways of thinking about things like race and that thinking can lead people to act against their feelings and instincts. The research finds that real change takes time and commitment and diversity training should not just be used as a checkbox.
‘Microaggression’ Is the New Racism on Campus
By: John McWhorter
Time, March 21, 2014
http://time.com/32618/microaggression-is-the-new-racism-on-campus/
This opinion piece explores microaggression as a current concept that is replacing the way people think about racism on college campuses. It also points to the ways racism continues to persist, even in our present era.
"At this rate, American Women Won’t See Equal Pay until 2058." Danielle Paquette. March 16, 2015. The Washington Post.
Article presents grim statistic on wage parity per state and projected pay parity.
"The Belief About Brilliance and the Demography of Academic Fields." Lisa Wade. March 23, 2015. The Society Pages.
Article displaying data showing a clear relationship between the presence of women in a field and the assumption that success required brilliance.
"Even in Nursing, Men Make More than Women." Julie Rovner. March 25, 2015. NPR News.
Article discusses the recent data showing that men in the nursing field earn more both as outpatient and in hospital nurses even though women outnumber men by 10 to 1.
"Women still find it tough to reach the top in science." Sharon Bell. March 23, 2015. The Conversation.
Women’s roles are increasing in science, but barriers exist that can prevent them from achieving success comparable to their male colleagues. This feeds the argument that there is a gender pay gap in earnings in science, yet difficulties around receiving support and mentoring still challenge women scientists.
http://theconversation.com/women-still-find-it-tough-to-reach-the-top-in-science-38776
"For US Women Inequality Takes Many Forms." Ariel Smilowitz. May 5, 2015. Huffington Post.
Article notes newly updated trend analysis measuring an improvement in gender equity in the US, yet finds that eliminating the wage parity will not likely happen within our lifetimes. Reports include data on U.S. women's employment and earnings, poverty and opportunity, work and family, violence and safety, reproductive rights, health and wellbeing and political participation.