Barriers facing Women and Minority Faculty in STEM

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Why Women STEM Faculty Matter Having a female professor has a

positive effect on female students' :– performance in math and science classes – their likelihood of taking future math and

science courses – their likelihood of graduating with a math,

science or engineering degree

These effects are largest for female students whose SAT math scores are in the top 5%

Carrell, Page, & West, Sex and Science: How Professor Gender Perpetuates the Gender Gap, NBER Research Papers, 2009

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Why So Slow? Why So Few?Myth: Since many of the problems encountered by female faculty are minor, emphasis on remedies to improve the climate is an over-reaction.

Fact : Over time, small disadvantages accumulate into significant ones that have large impacts on career success and satisfaction.

Social Psychology of Gender

Implicit bias

Critical mass

Schemas about parenthood

Accumulation of disadvantage

Implicit Bias

Source: U Michigan ADVANCE STRIDE

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• Non-conscious hypotheses about sex differences that guide everyone’s perceptions and behaviors

• Schemas are expectations or stereotypes that define “average” members of a group. For example,

Men are instrumental, task-oriented, competent

Women are nurturing, emotional, and care about relationships

• Both men and women have the same schemas

What are Gender Schemas?

Source: Virgina Valian, 1998, Why So Slow? The Advancement of Women, MIT Press

Applicant Packages When evaluating identical

application packages, male and female University psychology professors preferred 2:1 to hire “Brian” over “Karen” as an assistant professor.

When evaluating a more experienced record (at the point of promotion to tenure), reservations were expressed four times more often when the name was female

Brian

Karen

Steinpreis, Anders, & Ritzke, 1999. The Impact of Gender on the Review of the Curricula Vitae of Job Applicants and Tenure Candidates: A National Empirical Study, Sex Roles, Vol. 41, Nos. 7/8, 509-528.

First Authorships After Behavioral Ecology instituted

double-blind reviews in 2000, the proportion of female first authors increased significantly during 2002-07 as compared with 1995-2000

No such shifts occurred over the same time period in another journal with a similar subject matter and impact factor - Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology, or with 4 out 5 other ecology and evolutionary biology journals

Budden, A. E., Tregenza, T., Aarssen, L., et al. 2008. Double-blind review favours increased representation of female authors. Trends in Ecology and Evolution, 23: 4–6.

Postdoc Fellowship Applications

Average rating of applicants as a function of their scientific productivity

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2.25

2.5

2.75

3

0-19 20-39 40-59 60-99 >99

Total impact

Sco

re

males females

Women applying for a post- doctoral fellowship had to be 2.5 times more productive to receive the same reviewer rating as the average male applicant.

Other Similar findings:• USA/GAO report on Peer Review in Federal

Agency Grant Selection (1994)• European Molecular Biology Organization

Reports (2001)• NIH Pioneer Awards: Journal of Women’s

Health (2005) & Nature (August 2006)

Wenneras & Wold, 1997, Nepotism and sexism in peer-review, Nature, 387, 341-343

Recommendation Letters for Medical School Faculty Applicants Letters of recommendation

for male successful medical school faculty applicants were longer and had more references to

their CV, publications, patients and colleague

Letters for women successful medical school faculty applicants were shorter, and had more references to

personal life had more “doubt-raisers”-

hedges, qualifiers, and faint praise

Trix, Frances. & Psenka, Carolyn. (2003). Exploring the color of glass: Letters of recommendation for female and male medical faculty. Discourse & Society, 14(2), 191–220.

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

% w/ DoubtRaiser

%w/ MinimalAssurance

women

men

Recommendations of Psychology Faculty ApplicantsLetters of recommendation for female Psychology faculty applicants (as compared with letters for males to the same department) contained significantly more words that were

communal (affectionate, helpful, kind, sympathetic, sensitive, nurturing, agreeable, caring)

significantly less words that were agentic (assertive, confident, aggressive, ambitious, dominant, forceful, intellectual)

significantly more words that were social-communal (related to family relationships)

significantly more words that were related to the physical body (arms, breast, eyes, face, hips, hair, muscle, nails, pregnancy, mouth)

Madera, Juan M., Hebl, Michelle R. & Martin, Randi C. 2009. Gender and letters of recommendation for academia: Agentic and communal differences, Journal of Applied Psychology, 94(6), 1591–1599.

P<0.01; results of MANCOVA controlling for years in graduate school, N of publications, honors, N of postdoc years, N of courses taught, and type of position

Source: Rice University ADVANCE program

(mention of family relationships)

Social-Communal Words per Letter

Critical Mass

If women are more than 30% of the applicant pool they are judged more positively than if they are 25% or less of the pool

When women make up more than a third of a work group they are judged more positively

Heilman & Stopeck (1985) Journal of Applied Psychology, 70, 379-388; Heilman (1980) Organizational Behavior and Human Performance, 26, 386-395

Appointments of Women Chaired Professors in S&ESignificant relationship between the number of women on an appointment committee and the gender of the candidate appointed (7 Dutch Universities, 1999-2003)

Female members 0 1 2 3>

Appointed men 305 (93%)

235 (86%)

102 (78%)

18 (78%)

660

Appointed women 24 (7%)

37(14%)

29(22%)

5(22%)

95

Total 329(44%)

272(36%)

131(17%)

23(3%)

775 (100%)

Van den Brink, 2010, Behind the Scenes of Science: Gender Practices in the Recruitment and Selection of Professors in the Netherlands

More Women in Applicant Pools Leads to Greater Diversity in Hiring

Analyses of S&E applicant pools at two research universities showed

A statistically significant linear relationship exists between the percent of female and URM applicants in the candidate pool and their degree of inclusion on the short list.

The level of representation of female and URM applicants on the short list is associated with the likelihood of hiring a female or URM candidate.

Female faculty hires occurred more frequently when there were two or more females on the short list

The majority of Native American, African-American, and “race-unknown” candidates were hired when there were more females on the short list. Bilimoria & Buch, 2010, The Search is On, Change, (December )

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Schemas about ParenthoodWhen evaluating identical applications: In a lab study:

– Mothers were less likely to be recommended for hire, promotion, and management, and were offered lower starting salaries than non-mothers

– Evaluators rated mothers as less competent and committed to paid work than non-mothers

– Fathers were seen as more committed to paid work and offered higher starting salaries than non-fathers

In a field study:– Prospective employers called mothers back about half

as often as non-mothers– Fathers were not disadvantaged in the hiring process

Correll, Benard and Paik (2007) Getting a job: Is there a motherhood penalty? American Journal of Sociology, 112 (5), 1297-1338.

Different Family Situations of Women and Men STEM Faculty

Men Women

Married with children

70% 44%

Married without children

15% 19%

Single without children

11% 26%

Single with children

4% 19%

Men Women

Spouse works full-time

45% 89%

Spouse works part-time

20% 5%

Spouse not employed

35% 6%

Spouse is also a scientist

48% 78%

Source: Joan Herbers, President, AWIS, 2010

Leaks in the Pipeline for STEM Women Faculty

Goulden, Frasch & Mason, Staying Competitive: Patching America’s Leaky Pipeline in the Sciences, 2009.

Bias Avoidance Academic women marry at

lower rates Academic women are

childless at higher rates Academic women report

having fewer children than they would like

Academic women do not take advantage of policies (such as tenure clock extension)

Drago, Robert W. Striking a Balance: Work, Family, Life, 2007

Accumulation of Disadvantage

Very small differences in treatment can have major consequences as they accumulate

Like interest on capital, advantages accrue. Like interest on debt, disadvantages accrue

“Mountains are molehills piled one on top of the other”

Valian, Virginia, Why So Slow? The Advancement of Women, 1998

Lowered success rate

Evaluation Evaluation biasbias

Performance is underestimatedPerformance is underestimated

Accumulation of disadvantageAccumulation of disadvantage

SchemasSchemas

Solo Solo status/Lack status/Lack

of critical of critical massmass

If We Do Not Actively Intervene, The Cycle Reproduces Itself

InertiaInertia

Source: U of Michigan ADVANCE STRIDE

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Molehills Become Mountains

Any one slight may seem minor but small imbalances and disadvantages accrue and accumulate into a mountain of disadvantage.

“Mountains are molehills piled one on top of the other”

Valian, 1998, Why So Slow? The Advancement of Women, MIT Press

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How We Can Be Unaware of Our Biases

We view ourselves as fair and impartialWe believe advancement is merit-basedWe admire the competence of some women,

which seems to show that we are free of gender bias

Some women, though the exception, make it to the top, appearing to demonstrate that evaluations are basically fair and that truly capable women succeed

It is hard to remember that an exception is just that: an atypical event, and therefore actually evidence that the norm is differentSource: Virginia Valian, 1998, Why So Slow? The Advancement of Women, MIT

Press

Leading For Change

• Influencing climate

• Improving leadership (formal and informal)

• Improving search and recruitment practices

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Organizational Climate

Patterns of interactions and behaviors among group members

(Schein, 1992)

The shared assumptions, norms, practices, processes, structure, physical space layout, stories, and formal

statements employed by group members (O’Reilly,1996)

An organization's climate is reflected in its structures, policies, and practices; the demographics of its

membership; the attitudes and values of its members and leaders; and the quality of personal

interactions (UW-Madison, 2002).

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Aspects of Gender Equity Climate

Compliance Conformity in fulfilling federal, state or local government requirements, AA, EEOC

Diversity Increasing the representation of diverse groups

Equity Removing the barriers to organizational competition, thus allowing people who are “different” to compete equitably.

Inclusion Leveraging the unique backgrounds and experience of all employees to achieve organizational goals and objectives. In an inclusive organization climate, employees’ skills and talents are recognized, used effectively, valued, and help drive organizational successModified from The Minority Corporate Counsel Association’s

Creating Pathways to Diversity, 2006

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Characteristics of Environments That Enable Gender Equity and Inclusion– A critical mass of women at all levels and in

leadership– Freedom from stereotyping about women’s and men

’s roles and occupations– Work conditions (e.g., job titles, work schedules,

policies, physical environment) that include and value both men and women

– Opportunities for reward and advancement based on qualifications, performance and talent, not gender

– Work structures and cultural norms that support positive relations between men and women

– Work policies and structures that support work-life integration

Modified from McLean, D. (2003)

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Open Information & Decision Processes

Improving Departmental Climate

Integrative Leadership

Constructive Interactions

Participative Departmental

Activities

Inclusive Science Identity

Productive and Inclusive

Science Culture

Bilimoria & Jordan (2005). Full report available at: http://www.case.edu/provost/ideal/doc/AGoodPlaceToDoScience.pdf

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A Study of Academic Job Satisfaction at CWRU

Effective Institutional Leadership

Institutional Mentoring

Internal Academic Resources

Internal Relational Supports

Academic Job Satisfaction

.30***

.27***

.44***

.29**

.55***

.22*

Effective Institutional Leadership

Institutional Mentoring

Internal Academic Resources

Internal Relational Supports

Academic Job Satisfaction

.17*

.45***

.30***

.35***

.45***

Rank

Rank

.35***

.13+

.27**

Path Coefficients for Male Faculty Members (n=148)

Path Coefficients for Female Faculty Members (n=100) Selected FindingsSelected Findings

• Female faculty perceive that institutional leadership is more strongly related to providing internal relational supports than academic resources. Male faculty perceive that institutional leadership is more strongly related to providing academic resources.

• The path from institutional mentoring to relational supports was significant for both men and women, but the strength of the relationship was almost double for women.

• While job satisfaction for male faculty arises equally from academic resources and relational supports, job satisfaction for female faculty derives twice as much from internal relational supports

Source: Bilimoria, Perry, Liang, Stoller, Higgins, & Taylor (2006). Journal of Technology Transfer, 32, 3: 355-365.

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Source: “Leadership That Gets Results”, Daniel Goleman, Harvard Business Review, March-April 2000

Leadership Influences Six Key Factors of the Work Environment

Clarity – about mission and values Commitment – to a common purpose Flexibility – to adapt and innovate unencumbered

by red tape Responsibility – to share in the necessary tasks Standards – levels that people set and aspire to Rewards – appropriate and aligned with feedback

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“Leadership That Gets Results”, Daniel Goleman, Harvard Business Review March-April 2000

Six Distinctive Leadership Styles Coercive

– Toward compliance – “Do what I tell you”– For crisis (mostly

negative) Authoritative

– Toward vision– “Come with me” – For new vision (positive)

Affiliative – Toward harmony – “People come first” – For stressful situation

(positive)

Democratic – Toward participation – “What do you think?”– To build buy in (positive)

Pacesetting– Toward self-direction – “Do as I do, now” – To get quick results (mostly

negative) Coaching

– toward people development – “Try this”– Develop strengths (positive)

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Improving Search & Recruitment

Search committee training: institutional commitment, bias awareness, resources & tools

Proactive, broad, on-going, inclusive searches

Accountable and aligned search processes

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Bilimoria, D. & Buch, K.K. The Search is On: Engendering Faculty Diversity Through More Effective Search and Recruitment, Change, July/August 2010

References

Ahearn, K. K., Ferris, G. R., Hochwarter, W. A., Douglas, C., & Ammeter, A. P. (2004). Leader political skill and team performance. Journal of Management, 30, 309–327.

Forret, M. L., & Dougherty, T. W. (2001). Correlates of networking behavior for managerial and professional employees. Group and Organization Management, 26, 283–311.

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