Women in the Sciences

In its report issued in May, the University's Task Force on Women in Science and Engineering dramatically highlighted the "leaky pipeline" at work in academic science: its data, shown below, demonstrate that plenty of undergraduate women study the natural sciences at Harvard, and women now outnumber men in Medical School and School of Public Health doctoral enrollments. But the tenured professoriate is overwhelmingly male. As hiring increases in the sciences, the gender composition shown here may begin to change, especially if the University succeeds in its announced strategy of appointing more professors from its junior-faculty ranks, where women are more equally represented today. But that, in turn, depends in part on whether conditions for work and research improve for the tenure-track faculty.

 

 

Chart by Stephen Anderson

Click here for the September-October 2005 issue table of contents

Most popular

Harvard Commencement Day 2025

The 374th Commencement exercises 

Trump Administration Alleges Harvard Violated Student Civil Rights

In a court filing, the University says government has ignored procedure to “inflict pain.”

House Committee Subpoenas Harvard Over Tuition Costs

The University must turn over all requested materials related to tuition and financial aid by mid-July. 

Explore More From Current Issue

The Woman Who Rode Horses Into the Water

Scrapbooking a woman who rode horses into the sea

How Harvard Students Handle Political Disagreements

The Undergraduate asks if intellectualism is really on life support.

A Look at Harvard’s Distinctive Doctoral Regalia

On regalia, a Jack-of-all-trades retirement, and a Bok’s office bon mot.