Report On Scientific Careers For Women

Press, Volume C, Issue 29681, 27 November 1961, Page 2

Report On Scientific Careers For Women

Relatively few women in America choose science as a career. Although women have been broadening their occupational interests over the last few decades, the traditional fields of teaching and nursing still remain the professions drawing the largest number of women. Of those who do choose to enter science, educational institutions are the leading source of employment.

This and other Information on women scientists in America and the potential of science as a career for women are contained in a report recently published by the National Science Foundation. The report compiles available data on the training and employment of women in various scientific fields, and include a brief study of the factors controlling women's selection of, and participation in. scientific careers. “As the need for specialised knowledge and skills becomes more pronounced with every technological advance, the concern that we may be wasting valuable human resources becomes more serious,” says the report. “At the same time, the drive towards attainment of one of our basic ideals—the fullest realisation of the talents of the individual—has gathered momentum. Encouragement Needed '‘Women can, and no doubt will, continue to augment our working resources. It is felt by many that, given the proper encouragement, women would enter careers in science and technology, in greatly increased numbers. “The factors accounting for so few women in science are complex and mutually interacting. In our advanced industrial society, most scientific and technological jobs require long and rigorous training. Personal attitudes, the

kind of education required, social pressures and economic opportunity all have an important bearing on women’s education and career choices.

The report attempts to place this loss of potential talent within its larger social context, thereby permitting an assessment of the likeli-

hood that more women w’ill become scientists or engineers. “As the trend within recent decades has been towards earlier marriages and more children, the dominance of younger women in the Labour force is shifting in favour of older women, and toe peak years for women are becoming to the late forties,” says the report. ‘‘There would seem to be little hope for expecting that a greatly increased number of younger women will enter scientific careers unless positive measures are taken to stimulate interest and to provide suitable incentives for those women with an interest in science. “Among mature women, in cases where talent is not used because of extraneous factors such as lack of professional acceptance, society would certainly stand to gain by toe removal of such barT’V™. Not only would the talents thus ‘recovered’ strengthen the nation’s poten»^’il wt w* p s lter satisfaction would be derived by the women involved,” says the report.