Women Scientists of the American Physiological Society The Women in Physiology Committee maintains a Society who have not received a questionnaire or who would database on women members of the Society that allows us to like to update a previously submitted questionnaire should track the professional characteristics of women physiologists. contact the APS office. The database is compiled through a questionnaire that is peri- Figure 1 shows the distribution of academic and other odically sent to all women members. In addition to providing positions held by the respondents. The “other” category in- information for our members on the status of women in phys- cludes positions or ranks that did not fit in any of the cate- iology, the trends and statistics produced by the database is gories listed, including “research physiologist,” “clinical as- made available to other organizations that are interested in sistant professor,” etc. the status of women scientists. Women who complete the Four hundred fifty-eight women in the database hold questionnaire can indicate whether they would like to have PhD degrees. MD degrees are held by 78; 58 women have their names made available to prospective employers. master’s degrees, and 42 checked “other.” The years of re- Departmental chairs, search committees, and other employers ceipt of these degrees are indicated in Table 1. In terms of are encouraged to contact the APS office to obtain a list of postgraduate training, 54 of the respondents stated they had women physiologists who are interested in academic, indus- received 1 year of postdoctoral training; 119 indicated 2 trial, or administrative positions. years; 111 indicated 3 years; 49 indicated 4 years; and 89 re- According to the most current APS membership statis- spondents indicated receiving greater than 5 years of post- tics, 866 members (12%) of the Society are women, out of a doctoral training. total membership of 7,321. A total of 567 women scientists Of 556 respondents, 330 indicated physiology as their have responded to the questionnaire; thus about 65% of the field of training and 226 indicated “other.” The areas of spe- women members of the Society are now in the database. The cialization among the respondents are shown in Figure 2. following information was compiled from the current Information on technological expertise and numbers of database for women in physiology. Female members of the peer-reviewed publications was also requested in the ques- tionnaire. The responses are shown in Table 2 and Figure 3. The questionnaire requested information on grant sup- inside . port, which could include grants currently held as well as previous grants; responses are shown in Table 3. Professional Experimental Biology ‘93 Symposia Preview . .. .. .. .. .. 250 activities of women in the database are shown in Table 4. With regard to teaching experience, 395 respondents in- A Matter of Opinion: Footnotes . .. ..*....................269 dicated they had taught at the medical/dental/nursing/veteri- CongressEnacts Animal Facility nary levels. Two hundred ninety-eight respondents indicated Protection Law .,......*....................................,..................270 undergraduate teaching, 114 respondents were involved in secondary education, and 80 checked “other.” The latter cat- Space Life Sciences Award . .. ..*.........273 egory included 40 graduate students presumably serving as teaching assistants. One hundred eleven women in the The Cellular and Molecular Biology database indicated that they were willing to spend 20%5-30% of Membrane Transport . .. .. .. 299 (continued on p. 248) Vol. 35, No. 5,1992 247 WOMEN PHYSIOLOGISTS WOMEN PHYSIOLOGIS’IS (continued from p. 247) Women Scientists of the NIH Animal Care Workshop 271 American Physiological of their time teaching. Another 93 in- Society. H. Carey 247 SPACE LIFE SCIENCES dicated lo%-20% time teaching, 31 AWARD indicated 30%-40%, 28 indicated APS NEWS Origin, Evolution and Distribution 4OY+ SO%, and 26 indicated they were Meetings of Life in the Universe. willing to spend over 50% of their time Experimental Biology ‘93 C. Ponnamperuma 273 teaching. In terms of job status, 199 respon- Symposia Preview 250 PEOPLE AND PLACES 279 APS: A Keystroke Away 257 dents indicated that they would consid- Help with High School Day 257 er moving from their present positions; IUPS 65 were actively searching for jobs, Membership Get Ready for Glasgow 280 and 173 were satisfied with their cur- Honorary Memberships Given ‘93 IUPS Travel Grant rent positions. Of those interested in to Four Renowned Scientists 258 Application 281 moving to other positions, 193 indicat- Council of Academic Societies. ed their interest in positions in medi- S. D. Gray and G. A. Hedge 261 BOOK REVIEWS 283 cal/dental/nursing/veterinary schools; APS Receives Bequest 262 48 indicated undergraduate institu- APS Members Named to POSITIONS AVAILABLE 288 tions; 48 indicated graduate schools; Institute of Medicine 263 87 checked private research founda- Senior Physiologists News 265 BOOKS RECEIVED 288 tions; 91 indicated industry/R&D; and Sections 35 checked “other.” When asked if Cardiovascular Section 267 ANNOUNCEMENTS 289 they would like their information re- Young Investigator Award 268 leased to prospective employers, 349 APS CONFERENCE indicated yes and 218 answeredno. A MATTER OF OPINION The Cellular and Molecular Based on the results of the ques- Footnotes 269 Biology of Membrane tionnaire, it appears that the majority Transport 299 of women in the American Physiolog- PUBLIC AFFAIRS Week at a Glance 300 ical Society are highly productive sci- Congress Enacts Animal Table of Contents 300 entists who are involved in a variety of Facility Protection Law. Abstracts A-l research, administrative, and teaching W. M. Samuels 270 Index A-25 activities. The large number of respon- dents indicating cardiovascular as their present area of specialization reflects The Physiologist Publications Committee: Chairman, Charles the general makeup of the membership M. Tipton; Members, Diana Kunze, Loring R. Published bimonthly and of the APS as a whole. However, 149 distributed by Rowell, and James A. Schafer. Publications The American Physiological Society Manager, Brenda B. Rauner; Editorial Staff, respondents checked “other” for this 9650 Rockville Pike Laura North and Lorraine Tucker. question, suggesting that a significant Subscriptions: Distributed to members as part Bethesda, Maryland 20814-3991 of their membership. Nonmembers in the USA: number of women in the Society are ISSN 0031-9376 individuals $25.00; institutions $33.00. Non- working in research areas that are not members elsewhere: individuals $35.00; institu- traditional physiological fields. The Martin Frank, Editor and tions $44.00. Single copies and back issues when Executive Director available, $10.00 each; single copies and back is- broad range of technological expertise sues of Abstracts issue when available, $20.00. shown in the database indicates that Stanley G. Schultz, President In 1992, subscribers to The Physiologist will re- women physiologists as a whole are Norman C. Staub, Past President ceive it and the abstracts of the Fall Conferences William H. Dantzler, President-Elect of the American Physiological Society. The trained in both traditional techniques American Physiological Society assumes no re- as well as more modern technologies. Councillors sponsibility for the statements and opinions ad- Despite the range of professional vanced by contributors to The Physiologist. Mordecai P. Blaustein, Helen J. Cooke, Deadline for submission of material for publi- activities that women physiologists are AIlen W. Cowley, Jr., L. Gabriel Navar, cation: Dec. 5, February issue; Feb. 5, April engaged in, there are still relatively David J. Ramsay, and James A. Schafer issue; April 5, June issue; June 5, August issue; few membersof the Society who serve Aug. 5, October issue; Oct. 5, December issue. If Ex Ofiicio you change your address or telephone uum- as APS section councillors, section Leonard S. Jefferson, Franklyn G. Knox, her, please notify the central office as soon as chairs, members and chairs of APS possible. committees, or on the APS council. Frank L. Powell, Jr., Charles M. Tipton, Headquarters phone: 301-530-7164. Fax: 301- and Heinz Valtin 571-1814. The Society welcomes the active par- THE PHYSIOLOGIST Table 1. Year Degree Awarded ticipation of women in all of these areas. To this end, women physiologists are encouraged to nominate themselves and No. of Respondents have colleagues nominate them for positions on APS com- Before 1950 19 mittees and to actively participate in their respective sections. 1950-1959 45 The Committee on Women in Physiology serves as a re- 1960-1969 78 source for information and support for women physiologists 1970-1979 179 and welcomes input from the membership on issues that per- 1980-1989 174 tain to women scientists. 1990-1999 41 No year given 32 Hannah V. Carey, Chair Table 2. Technological Expertise PROFESSOR ASSOC PROF No. of Respondents ASSIST PROF Antibody production 40 RES ASSOCIATE Biomedical engineering 37 POSTDOC Electron microscopy 45 INDUSTR RESEARC Electrophysiology 132 EMERITUS/RETIRE Fluorescence spectroscopy 49 STUDENT Immunohistochemistry 63 OTHER Molecular biology 52 Protein isolation/ 0 65 130 purification/sequencing 69 Radioimmunoassay 166 NO. OF RESPONDENTS Surgery 207 Figure1. Rank Video image analysis 53 Other 174 CARDIOVASC NEURAL ENDOCRINE Table3. Grant Support CELLULAR PULMONARY No. of Respondents RENAL