Science still lacks gender balance

Image courtesy www.wisecampaign.
org.uk

The latest figures, published yesterday by the European Commission, show the number of female researchers is growing faster than that of men, increasing by 6.3 per cent each year, compared to an increase of 3.7 per cent for men, from 2002 to 2006. There has also been a 6.8 per cent increase in the proportion of female PhDs.

But according to the Commission, the under-representation of women in scientific disciplines and careers remains a serious challenge in Europe. The publication of the figures coincides with the 10th anniversary of the Helsinki Group on Women in Science, through which the EU Member States and the European Commission have been working together to address the gender imbalance.

“While some trends are positive, the fact that women remain underrepresented in scientific careers should be a worry for all of us,” said European Commissioner for Science and Research Janez Potočnik.

“This gender imbalance in science is a waste of opportunity and talent which Europe cannot afford. There will be no quick fix; we have to address all structural obstacles along the entire career path of women scientists. The European Commission will continue to support action to reinforce the status and participation of women in science. This is not just in the interest of European science, but also of our society and our economy,” Potočnik said.

The 2009 She Figures show that women still account for only 37 per cent of all researchers in higher education, 39 per cent in government and 19 per cent in business. Over the period, there has been an increase in the overall number of female researchers in almost all fields of science in the EU.

Career progression of women and men working in higher education confirms a pattern of “vertical segregation”, where the majority of women in academia are lower in the hierarchy. Women account for 59 per cent of all graduates, but only 18 per cent of full professors. The under-representation of women is even more striking in the field of science and engineering, where only 11 per cent of professors are female.

There are no major differences between the EU-15 and EU-12.