Document generated on 10/02/2021 10:12 a.m. Geoscience Canada Issues in Canadian Geoscience - Women in the Geosciences in Canada and the United States: A Comparative Study Franz W. Nentwich Volume 37, Number 3, September 2010 Article abstract The literature on women in the geo-sciences is mainly limited to the URI: https://id.erudit.org/iderudit/geocan37_3icg01 experiences of women in Canada and the United States. Compared to women in other scientific careers, women in the geosciences have historically been See table of contents disadvantaged relative to men because of restrictions on working in the field combined with the lesser value accorded to laboratory and office work. Recently, however, times have changed; linear extrapolation of data from the Publisher(s) USA suggests that women earned 50% of undergraduate geoscience degrees in 2008. In Canada the situation has been similar, with 45% of bachelor’s and The Geological Association of Canada other undergraduate degrees in geological and earth sciences/geo-sciences disciplines in 2005–2006 having been awarded to women. However, current ISSN trends suggest that US women will not attain 50% of geo-science doctorates until about the year 2021 and will not make up half of geoscience faculty until 0315-0941 (print) 2084. Increasing the proportion of women faculty is appropriate, given that 1911-4850 (digital) gender parity has been achieved at the undergraduate student level. The obvious geoscience departments to begin recruiting more women would be Explore this journal those with the lowest percentage of female faculty. Faculty gender representation should better reflect the fact that 34% of geoscience doctorates were awarded to women in North America in 2002, and probably approached Cite this article 40% in 2010. Overall in Canada in 2006, 18.8% of all geologists, geochemists and geophysicists were women and in the USA for the same year, 16% of Nentwich, F. W. (2010). Issues in Canadian Geoscience -: Women in the geoscientists were women, so the percentages are low for both countries. Geosciences in Canada and the United States: A Comparative Study. Geoscience Canada, 37(3), 127–134. All rights reserved © The Geological Association of Canada, 2010 This document is protected by copyright law. Use of the services of Érudit (including reproduction) is subject to its terms and conditions, which can be viewed online. https://apropos.erudit.org/en/users/policy-on-use/ This article is disseminated and preserved by Érudit. Érudit is a non-profit inter-university consortium of the Université de Montréal, Université Laval, and the Université du Québec à Montréal. Its mission is to promote and disseminate research. https://www.erudit.org/en/ GEOSCIENCE CANADA Volume 37 Number 3 September 2010 127 SERIES er, current trends suggest that US faudrait attendre autour de 2021 avant women will not attain 50% of geo- que 50 % des doctorats en géosciences science doctorates until about the year ne soient décernés à des femmes, et 2021 and will not make up half of que ce ne serait qu’en 2084 qu’elles geoscience faculty until 2084. Increas- représenteraient 50 % du personnel ing the proportion of women faculty is enseignant universitaire. L’accroisse- appropriate, given that gender parity ment de la proportion de femme has been achieved at the undergraduate enseignant à l’université est justifié student level. The obvious geoscience étant donné que la parité a été atteinte departments to begin recruiting more au niveau des étudiants du premier women would be those with the lowest cycle. Évidemment, les premiers ISSUES in CANADIAN percentage of female faculty. Faculty départements de géosciences visés gender representation should better devraient être ceux comptant le moins GEOSCIENCE reflect the fact that 34% of geoscience de femmes dans leur personnel Women in the Geosciences doctorates were awarded to women in enseignant. La représentation des gen- North America in 2002, and probably res chez les enseignants universitaires in Canada and the United approached 40% in 2010. Overall in devrait mieux refléter le fait que 34 % States: A Comparative Canada in 2006, 18.8% of all geolo- des doctorats ont été décernés à des gists, geochemists and geophysicists femmes en Amérique du Nord en Study were women and in the USA for the 2002, et approchera probablement 40 same year, 16% of geoscientists were % en 2010. Globalement, au Canada Franz W. Nentwich women, so the percentages are low for en 2006, 18,8 % de tous les géologues, 65 Broadway Avenue both countries. géochimistes et géophysiciens étaient Ottawa, ON, Canada, K1S 2V5 des femmes et, aux É.-U. pour la E-mail: [email protected] SOMMAIRE même année, 16 % des géoscientifiques La documentation sur la présence des étaient des femmes; des proportions SUMMARY femmes en géosciences est principale- faibles pour les deux pays on en con- The literature on women in the geo- ment limitée à la main-d’œuvre canadi- viendra. sciences is mainly limited to the experi- enne et étasunienne. Par rapport aux ences of women in Canada and the femmes dans d’autres domaines scien- INTRODUCTION United States. Compared to women in tifiques, les femmes en géosciences ont Although much has been written on other scientific careers, women in the été historiquement défavorisées dû aux ‘women in science’ (e.g. Ramirez and geosciences have historically been dis- restrictions du travail de terrain com- Wotipka 2001; Andres and Adamuti- advantaged relative to men because of biné à la sous-évaluation du travail de Trache 2007; Burke and Mattis 2007; restrictions on working in the field bureau et de laboratoire. Mais la situa- Ceci and Williams 2007; Xu 2008), and combined with the lesser value accord- tion a changé récemment; l’extrapola- there are numerous references in the ed to laboratory and office work. tion linéaire de données étasuniennes Wisconsin Bibliographies in Women’s Recently, however, times have changed; montre que les femmes ont obtenu 50 Studies (ca. 1994), less has been written linear extrapolation of data from the % des diplômes de premier cycle en about female Canadian scientists and USA suggests that women earned 50% géosciences en 2008. Au Canada la sit- engineers (Heap 2003; Ainley 2006), of undergraduate geoscience degrees uation a évolué pareillement, où 45 % and still less about Canadian women in in 2008. In Canada the situation has des diplômes de baccalauréat et de pre- the geosciences. In 2002, in the United been similar, with 45% of bachelor’s mier cycle en sciences géologiques ou States, women made up only 16% of and other undergraduate degrees in sciences de la Terre ou géosciences ont all employed scientists, compared to geological and earth sciences/geo- été décernés à des femmes en 2005- 45% of all employed people, suggest- sciences disciplines in 2005–2006 hav- 2006. Cependant, les tendances éta- ing that the growing demand for sci- ing been awarded to women. Howev- suniennes actuelles montrent qu’il ence and technology workers would 128 not be met without a policy aimed at men be asking research questions that WOMEN IN THE GEOSCIENCES recruiting women to senior positions at women have perceived as not suffi- FROM A HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE universities, government and industry ciently relevant to themselves or socie- (Organization for Economic Coopera- ty? Research questions, after all, are Canada tion and Development (OECD) 2006). selected by researchers and in this The first woman geology graduate in However, some women have com- sense, science is not as objective as has Canada, according to available records, mented that they have felt a backlash been advertised (Harding 1986). Would was Grace Anna Stewart, who received and discrimination as a consequence of women researchers be more interested her undergraduate degree from the affirmative action programs. Also, they in selecting different research topics? University of Alberta in 1918 and went have reported that the most common Or could it be that women do not on to complete M.A. and Ph.D. problem for women in science, tech- receive enough research support? In degrees. She opted for an academic nology, engineering and mathematics this regard, only 17% of the 1000 position in the United States because (STEM) positions has been balancing chairs awarded in the Canada Research of a lack of opportunities at Canadian work and family responsibilities (Ross- Chairs Program went to women, even universities and because of prejudice er 2006). though women constituted 26% of against women at the Geological Sur- The problem of not produc- full-time faculty, a discrepancy that vey of Canada (Ainley 1990). In fact, ing sufficient scientists in Canada has prompted a complaint to the Canadian the only woman geologist in the first been even more acute: there were 1163 Human Rights Commission (Birchard half of the 1900s to have had a suc- science graduates per 100 000 2004). cessful academic career in Canada was employed people in the 25 to 34 year There is also a gender gap in Madeleine Fritz at the University of age group, compared with the OECD average salary at universities, according Toronto (Ainley 1990). Another average of 1295 (Tibbets 2007). How- to the annual University and College woman geologist to reach prominence ever, such statistics must be viewed Academic Staff Survey; in 2005/2006, in Canada was Alice Wilson cautiously because critical to the matter male faculty earned at least $15 000 (1881–1964), who completed an Hon- is the capacity of a country to absorb more per annum than female