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PHY/Book/Womenphys For WOMEN PHYSICISTS SPEAK A report from the UK delegation to the first international conference on Women in Physics, held to examine the under-representation of women in Physics and to develop strategies to increase their participation Preface Preface In March 2002, the International Union of Pure and Applied Physics (IUPAP) held the first inter- national conference on Women in Physics, devoted to understanding the reasons for the under- representation of women in physics worldwide, particularly at the more senior levels. The conference was attended by a large number of very distinguished women and men who had devoted some considerable time to thinking about the issues. Delegates agreed a number of actions intended to raise the profile of physics among women and to make it easier for women to pursue a career in this area. The delegates came almost exclusively from academia and the topics discussed centered largely on aspects of education and research. We should like to thank the Institute of Physics for helping to make our visit to Paris possible and also for financial assistance in publishing this report. We should also like to thank the Association of Women in Science and Engineering for hosting this report on its website at http://www.awise.org. Professor Gillian Gehring (team leader) University of Sheffield Dr Yasmin Andrew JET project Dr Joanne Baker University of Oxford Professor Sandra Chapman University of Warwick Dr Dimitra Darambara University College London Dr Helen Heath University of Bristol Mrs Ann Marks Physics teacher 1 Contents CONTENTS Executive Summary ..................................................................................................................................................................................5 I. Setting the Scene: the IUPAP Conference ....................................................................................................................7 II. Areas of concern ............................................................................................................................................................................................8 III. Physics ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................9 3.1 The importance of physics................................................................................................................................................................9 3.2 Physics in the UK ......................................................................................................................................................................................9 3.3 UK learned societies for physicists ........................................................................................................................................11 3.4 Why physics is special ......................................................................................................................................................................12 IV. Assessment of the problems ......................................................................................................................................................13 4.1 Under-representation of women scientists in the UK............................................................................................13 4.2 Social climate for UK physicists ................................................................................................................................................13 4.3 Delaying childbirth ................................................................................................................................................................................14 4.4 Evidence for discrimination ..........................................................................................................................................................14 V. Current initiatives......................................................................................................................................................................................17 5.1 Government commitment ..............................................................................................................................................................17 5.2 Department of Trade and Industry initiatives................................................................................................................ 17 5.3 Higher education initiatives and the Athena Project................................................................................................17 5.4 National initiatives to increase girls’ uptake of physics ........................................................................................18 5.5 Dorothy Hodgkin Fellowships ....................................................................................................................................................19 5.6 University Research Fellowships and Advanced Fellowships ........................................................................19 5.7 The EU 6th Framework programme......................................................................................................................................20 5.8 The Women Returners’ Network ............................................................................................................................................21 VI. Initiatives following from the Paris Resolutions..................................................................................................22 6.1 Systematic assembly of data ......................................................................................................................................................22 6.2 What further initiatives can be taken to encourage more girls to study physics? ........................23 6.3 Women as students ............................................................................................................................................................................25 6.4 Women as Research Assistants ..............................................................................................................................................26 6.5 Women obtaining their first tenured post in academia ........................................................................................27 6.6 Career development and the glass ceiling ......................................................................................................................29 6.7 Career paths in research institutes ........................................................................................................................................31 6.8 Career paths in industry ..................................................................................................................................................................32 6.9 Maternity leave, childcare and returners in a physics context ......................................................................32 VII. Men helping women and women helping themselves ............................................................................35 VIII.Conclusions ......................................................................................................................................................................................................37 Acknowledgments ..................................................................................................................................................................................38 References ........................................................................................................................................................................................................ 39 The UK delegates ......................................................................................................................................................................................41 About the authors ....................................................................................................................................................................................42 APPENDIX I: Conference resolutions ................................................................................................................................43 APPENDIX II: Data ....................................................................................................................................................................................50 APPENDIX III: A possible scheme to reform the RAE ..................................................................................55 3 Executive Summary WOMEN PHYSICISTS SPEAK Executive Summary Women are currently under-represented in every area of physics. This report presents in a UK context the resolutions and recommendations from the first IUPAP international conference on Women in Physics. Delegates came almost exclusively from academia, so the topics discussed centred on education and research. Some recommendations are specific to physics; others go much wider. (Note that throughout this report the term physics is intended to also embrace astronomy.) It is important to judge whether gender equality has been achieved by monitoring outcomes, not by inspecting the process. The following recommendations are directed at UK
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