As we've seen in previous articles and in our own experiences, implicit bias can cloud even those with the best of intentions. That's the thing about implicit bias -- we're not aware we are constantly engaging in it. But in this article by Scientific American , you can see how implicit bias affects us in our every day life. Sometimes we can witness it in action in something relatively inconsequential like a TV show, but sometimes we can see it rear its ugly head when determining something as important as career opportunities.
Nature published and article describing the wage gap between males in females in various areas of studies. The general trend seen was that in fields where the gender balance was more equal, the pay gap was less drastic. However, in male-dominant fields, the wage gap became more of a chasm. Read on about the evolution of the wage gap!
If you're a bookworm, have we got a goldmine for you! WomenYouShouldKnow published the Ultimate Women in Science Reading List! One-hundred and fifty titles of biographies, memoirs, you name it. Happy reading!
You know that feeling when you have an idea, and no one listens to you, but when someone else speaks up and repeats your idea, suddenly it's brilliant? Ok, take that feeling and magnify it by 100 because this sort of thing has happened with women scientists and their career-defining, discipline-altering works. The Independent goes on to outline such cases like Rosalind Franklin who originally discovered the double helix structure, only to have her recognition and credit usurped by Watson and Crick. While not surprised by the number of women similar circumstances have happened, to, you can't help but still feel stunned by how pervasive the down-playing of women's contribution to science is and has been. This is worth the read. You might be surprised to see how many well-known monumental scientific breakthroughs were actually discovered by women.
Lastly, we have a quick read from Nature, describing the results from a study identifying factors that promote postdoctoral success. Two major findings were discussed: 1) join a lab that is lacking the expertise you gleaned from graduate school. In doing this, you are bringing a new, unique perspective to the lab! Go to where the need is greater! And 2) seek prolific postdoctoral mentors who have an extensive track record of training students. They've had the practice, which can only benefit you. These two factors were major contributions in predicting future success. Use them wisely! I know I will in the coming months when I'm on the market!
Have a great day, and see you in February!
Sunday, January 27, 2019
Friday, January 18, 2019
Our Picks for January 18th, 2019
Take a look at the following articles selected by the PWN Blog team. The list is short, but interesting!
As we settle in the new year, this article looks back to the 5 most profound changes that the Women in STEM fields underwent in 2018. The author, JR Thorpe, highlights Nobel Prize Laureates, discoveries by women-led NASA teams and the #MeToo movement.
In this article published by the Huffington Post, senior reporter Emily Peck reviews the results of a recent report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. The study focused on the influence of sexual harassment in academia on the career advancement of women in the scientific, technical and medical workforce. One of the main results reported is that the best predictor of sexual harassment is the organizational climate of the company, i.e. the culture cultivated by the organization.
Finally, the American Association of University Women (AAUW) gathered recent data from the U.S. Census Bureau (2017 American Community Survey) in this short summary explaining the current state of gender pay gap. One of the main conclusions of the data analysis is that, although women are as effective as men in negotiating wages, they are paid less across the board, even with advanced degrees.
Wishing everyone a productive, goal-setting January!
Monday, January 7, 2019
Our first picks for the New Year!
Happy 2019! Hope everyone is doing well and starting off the new year on the right foot.
First up, we have a short piece from Forbes. The Financial Times newspaper in London recently created a bot that detected when a journalist was disproportionately quoting men in their writing. Apparently, 79% of people quoted in the Financial Times were men! With the implementation of this bot, the goal is to break the tendency to rely on old habits and instead have journalists branch out in their sources and create a more diverse, vibrant culture. With companies taking progressive actions like these, it evokes a sense of hope for gender-balance.
However, even with the most progressive companies, there is a sneaky clause called "forced arbitration" buried deep within employee and consumer contracts. Essentially, if there is any grievance or dispute within the company, the employee or consumer is required to waive their right to sue, participate in a class action lawsuit, or appeal. Basically, it's up to the company how they want to settle a dispute, and they don't have to document their resolve or make it public to anyone! You can see how this could be problematic in a variety of cases, and in particular, sexual harassment. Read more about how this unjust clause if negatively affecting the gender balance we strive to achieve.
An in depth post from Buzzfeed introduces us to 5 feminist academics spearheading the rights of transgender people in Britain. These women discuss why trans rights are feminist rights, why they feel the need to take action, and tackle the misconceptions we often hear surrounding the topics of transgender people. Is biology at odds with society? How do you address children who are questioning their gender identity? Who can make the decision in such cases? What does the future hold? Read on to understand the issues at hand and how these women are fighting to make the world a better place.
Next, a study found that when leaders take sexual harassment seriously, so do their employees. This makes sense, right? I know we're all upstanding citizens of the world, but say we started to stroll in late to work every other day and your boss never takes action to correct this behavior, what's the big deal? But if we know our employer will enforce promptness and take action if the offense gets to be too much, we're gonna make sure to be on time. On a much grander scale, with something as serious as sexual harassment, it's incredibly important to let your employees know that there is no room for such behavior and that serious consequences will be implemented. Read on here!
The Chronicle Review asked presidents, adjuncts, scientists, humanists, senior scholars, and junior professors the write about woman and power in academe. Read the plethora of different perspectives here.
That's all for this week! Thanks for stopping by!
First up, we have a short piece from Forbes. The Financial Times newspaper in London recently created a bot that detected when a journalist was disproportionately quoting men in their writing. Apparently, 79% of people quoted in the Financial Times were men! With the implementation of this bot, the goal is to break the tendency to rely on old habits and instead have journalists branch out in their sources and create a more diverse, vibrant culture. With companies taking progressive actions like these, it evokes a sense of hope for gender-balance.
However, even with the most progressive companies, there is a sneaky clause called "forced arbitration" buried deep within employee and consumer contracts. Essentially, if there is any grievance or dispute within the company, the employee or consumer is required to waive their right to sue, participate in a class action lawsuit, or appeal. Basically, it's up to the company how they want to settle a dispute, and they don't have to document their resolve or make it public to anyone! You can see how this could be problematic in a variety of cases, and in particular, sexual harassment. Read more about how this unjust clause if negatively affecting the gender balance we strive to achieve.
An in depth post from Buzzfeed introduces us to 5 feminist academics spearheading the rights of transgender people in Britain. These women discuss why trans rights are feminist rights, why they feel the need to take action, and tackle the misconceptions we often hear surrounding the topics of transgender people. Is biology at odds with society? How do you address children who are questioning their gender identity? Who can make the decision in such cases? What does the future hold? Read on to understand the issues at hand and how these women are fighting to make the world a better place.
Next, a study found that when leaders take sexual harassment seriously, so do their employees. This makes sense, right? I know we're all upstanding citizens of the world, but say we started to stroll in late to work every other day and your boss never takes action to correct this behavior, what's the big deal? But if we know our employer will enforce promptness and take action if the offense gets to be too much, we're gonna make sure to be on time. On a much grander scale, with something as serious as sexual harassment, it's incredibly important to let your employees know that there is no room for such behavior and that serious consequences will be implemented. Read on here!
The Chronicle Review asked presidents, adjuncts, scientists, humanists, senior scholars, and junior professors the write about woman and power in academe. Read the plethora of different perspectives here.
That's all for this week! Thanks for stopping by!
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