Companies A pilot study to identify the factors in the corporate culture that contribute to or impede the retention, development, and advancement of women scientists in corporations. Publication will include a monograph of the proceedings of the panel of prominent women scientists at the 1997 conference of the New York Academy of Sciences and Corporate and Academic Partners, which was moderated by Catalyst, and findings from the study's interviews. Intended for women and men business leaders, members of the National Academy of Science, academics, students, and national policymakers. Catalyst finds that these women were attracted to applied science and product development.
Women scientists do face organizational barriers to advancement.
Twenty-seven of the 30 women report that they had to struggle against the perception that science was a male pursuit. Although women are 46 percent of the workforce, they are about 12 percent of the scientific and engineering labor force in industry, and their representation is much lower at the highest ranks. No research has examined in depth the factors specific to women managers in science that contribute to or hinder their leadership roles in corporations, while the number of women earning doctorates in science and engineering grew 30 percent from 1990 to 1995 and the number of men grew 9 percent. It is therefore imperative to find out how business can recruit, retain, and advance talented women scientists. Researchers interviewed 30 women scientists in corporations to examine their career paths and examine policies and programs relevant to success.