Recently, Ceci and Williams (2011 PNAS), suggested that the evidence for discrimination against women in hiring and peer review (Wenneras and Wold 1997) was weak and is not the reason why in math-intensive fields only 8.8 to 15.8% of tenure-track positions at the top 100 US universities are held by women. Instead, they argue that the primary factor in the under-representation of women in STEM fields is preference and choice - freely made and/or constrained by societal influences. It's a well written article and worth the read. And there are some interesting and debatable points. But that's a different post. I bring it up here because if "self-selection" out of the academic track is the issue, then providing a support system might be the answer.
Funded by NSF's ADVANCE program, the conference, called WEBS (Women Evolving Biological Science) is "aimed at addressing the retention of female scientists and issues related to the transition of women from early career stages to tenure track positions and leadership roles in academic and research settings."
For 30 lucky women in ecology and evolution, the symposia provide the following :
Concrete skills and take-home tips for addressing a range of issues from navigating the tenure track, designing a research program and managing time to establishing and maintaining successful mentoring relationships and balancing career progression and life responsibility.
Opportunities to build a peer network and potential mentoring relationships with senior scientists.
Exposure to the range of potential paths and success stories of women in the biological sciences.
The application process approximates an application process for a tenure-track position, requiring a one-page statement from the applicant describing how attending will help her achieve any long and short term goals, a one page statement explaining research and teaching interests, online questionnaire, CV, and two letters of recommendation. The deadline is April 15 2011.
All of this would take an incredible amount of time. So my questions to you folks are: Do you think its worth the time and effort? And if so, what would I really get out of this event?
I'd appreciate the weigh in.
9 comments:
I'm not a woman, but I'd be hard pressed to recommend that ANYONE pursue the goal of landing a tenure-track position within the biological sciences. As you say, the question as to whether there's discrimination against women in hiring is debatable; however, from personal experience, I've met very few female scientists who are actually interested in pursuing an academic career. The reasons are almost universally the same: They don't want to sacrifice everything for the slim possibility of landing that job.
I've been telling myself that academia is what I've wanted to do since day 1 of my Ph.D., but now 18 months into a postdoc, I'm not so sure. While it's true that men could potentially 'have it all' (tough career while the wife takes time off to raise the kids), I don't think that that family arrangement is common in modern times; furthermore, it doesn't seem particularly fulfilling: I'd actually like to spend time with a theoretical family someday.
So yeah, apply for the chance to attend the conference, but be ready to flip out if you get there and find that it's all just a bunch of platitudes about how to 'balance' a completely dysfunctional 12 hour work day lifestyle ;-)
Sometimes I still love it so!
I'm not sure what you have to lose other than time. Gain, (1) insight into what you need to get the TT position and (2) networking, getting to know people who can open doors etc...but that is my viewpoint through rose colored glasses..
I have been to a few of these "Women in XXX" conferences; unfortunately I haven't really gained any useful insight from them. Typically there are way too few senior people, so it is rare to get to meet anyone senior; the only thing one can get out of these is to meet more peers at different places, and network among peers. If this is something you want, then go; if you are short of time, and want to meet senior people or get advice on how to really land a TT job, then prepare to be disappointed.
@Carlo I don't think that that family arrangement is common in modern times
It might still be the case. Of the academic couples I know who have had kids (N=10), the woman (n=8) is the one who modified/downgraded her career to raise the kids. It doesn't mean that it isn't changing...I do, however agree it doesn't seem particularly fulfilling.
@SM Time is quite valuable and as for information - I find the bloggosphere pretty insightful regarding how to get that tt position. But you may have a point about networking with my peers.
@Anon Thanks. That's good to know about the senior faculty.
In my opinion, you won't hear anything that you don't already know. I have been to many workshops of this kind over the years, at different stages of my career, and I always come out feeling "meh" about them. You won't really learn how to get a TT position -- nobody can teach you that. Your advisors and collagues can help you make the best possible case but from there on it's a bit of luck.
I don't think it will hurt you if you go, but if you skip I doubt you'll be missing any information that you don't have access to otherwise.
huh, it's a bit odd. I too have read the Ceci and Williams paper but I have to say it didn't really convince me. Maybe I am too wrapped up in the excuse (?) that "societal pressure and free choice" isn't really an excuse since it means that you a) have to be prepared to be the outlier b)I'm not convinced the free choice is that free....
That said, I can relate to the idea that Carlo said that for the "modern man" who wants to participate in family life the traditional TT position might not be that attractive either. My main thing with that though is that the males who apply and seek these positions don't have to state explcitly in their search that "they want to work and not stay home with family" as much as women have to do.
I'm not applying for TT but I've met this thing, slightly obscured of course since it's illegal to ask, when applying for "higher jobs" since I'm a woman over 30 and don't have children on my resume Somehow it always tend to creep up in the more informal talk prior and after, "so, are you willing to put in the hours or are you thinking about being more of a home body"..... eh...
As for the seminar, I think I would apply for sure if I wanted to go for TT. You can always learn something, and maybe there will be some "magical ideas" that isn't as obvious as one would think?
@GMP Thanks I figured that much. Luck is not really a good motivator for working "any 80hrs you want."
@chall I agree about free choice. There is some debate about whether it really exists or is simply culturally learned. The question about kids - I'm not surprised but aghast at what people think they have the right to ask.
I've heard good things about WEBS (and was rather bummed to not be able to apply as I'm out of the US now). One thing to consider is that you might make some connections will new people that will come in handy later on.
I have also gone to these types of events, and I haven't found them to be very helpful EXCEPT for the networking aspect. But I'm also not interested in TT, and if this event is really focused on keeping women in the academic pipeline, then the people you network with may not be all that helpful if you're not looking to go that direction.
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