Thursday, March 12, 2009

women in science, engineering, technology.

what things are you interested in hearing from this conference?

STEM = science, technology, engineering, mathematics

follow along on twitter

- numbers increasing in percentage of women in STEM educational paths, and they are performing well! but not getting jobs in private sector, tech, eng. why??

- we are often taught about the few women throughout history who have contributed to astronomy. who are modern-day science heroines? Vera Rubin. Sandy Faber. Jocelyn Bell..... any young ones? sara seager? meg urry?

- we all think of einstein, newton, and darwin... the geniuses. who are the current science heros?

- at current rates of change, it will take 200 years for UK parliament to have equal number of women as men!

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

yes please

Anonymous said...

"Who are the current science heros?"
For me, two big ones are E.O. Wilson and Steven Pinker.

"Who are modern-day science heroines?"
I just got a copy of LIsa Randall's book "Warped Passages: Unravelling The Mysteries Of The Universe's Hidden Dimensions", and judging by what I've read so far, and from her interview with Charlie Rose, she's about to become one. I also admire Helena Cronin a lot.

...and you, of course!

heroineworshipper said...

The biggest shift when U move from academia to the private sector is it doesn't matter anymore unless you want to fall in love. Everyone's focused on their jobs & U really don't notice the gender anymore.

Fredrik H. Aarø said...

Why are we focusing on the % of each gender in private or official sectors? Here you point out that in the private sector there is an higher prosentage of male gender and a lesser of the female.

Wrong angling of the "problem", if there is one that is. I doubt that the most private sector hires people on gender, one would be that most private companies are competing witch eachother, and to become the best company the gender discussion would be pointless. They are looking for the best to make them more profits, either male of female it's the nature of a modern competitive society.

Anonymous said...

Until October 18th, 1929, women in Canada were not considered persons.This was pretty general the world over.

Think how much we could have achieved if 100% of the population has been involved in developing this world. For nearly 2,000 years men were in charge. It will take more than several generations to change that mindset.

Anonymous said...

"Who are the current science heros?"
I think many of today's science heroes are more in the biological sciences/genetics side then in physics. Steven Pinker, Craig Venter, Steve Jones.

"Who are modern-day science heroines?"
I agree with Rik that Lisa Randall is great. And how about Andrea Ghez?