Below is an article written by Dr. Lowman in the News Observer. Read the full article at newsobserver.com
” Well behaved women rarely makehistory.” – Laurel Thatcher Ulrich
Recently at N.C. State University, the Women in Science and Engineering program welcomed prospective freshmen to campus. I was privileged to moderate their afternoon program, where several hundred parents and students learned about this unique mentoring program to inspire more women as science majors.
Current undergraduates spoke in glowing terms about how the WISE Village, a residential community on campus, offers special out-of-class experiences to develop skills in science and foster careers. Many colleges now offer similar programs to increase the retention rates of women in science degrees.
Thinking back to my own undergraduate experience when the geology department had no women’s restroom, I appreciate how things have changed!
But a recent survey of the 10,000-plus members of the professional Ecological Society of America indicated that women earned half of the doctorates in the past decade, yet received on average two-thirds of the salary of men in the equivalent position. Less than 10 percent achieved leadership positions in the field.
The invisible glass ceiling still exists in science, but programs like WISE are breaking through.