Cultivating Women Scientists
Research professionals are in great demand in industry and academia. But while the proportion of women in the Science, Technology and Medical (STM) fields has grown steadily, women still hold no more than 15% of the full professorships in both the US and Europe - and the participation of women scholars as authors and on editorial boards reflects a similar imbalance. Where does this across-the-board gender gap come from? How do different family roles and responsibilities factor in? What are different players in the STM community doing to address the gap?
During the Cultivating Women Scientists in the Next Generation webinar on September 21st we discussed three burning questions with David Ruth, Executive Director of the Elsevier Foundation Janet Bandows Koster, Executive Director of the Association for Women in Science (AWIS) and Donna Dean, past president of AWIS and senior scientific advisor and advocate for underrepresented groups in science and engineering.
The questions:
- What is the greatest obstacle to career development for dual career couples?
- What role can editors play to close the gender gap?
- What can your journal proactively do to support the careers of women in research and academia?
The presenters:
David A. Ruth, Executive Director of the Elsevier Foundation and SVP Global Communications, Elsevier
David Ruth is responsible for Elsevier’s external and internal communications and corporate responsibility programs worldwide. He has led the development of the Elsevier Foundation’s New Scholars program which supports programs to help early-to mid career women scientists balance family responsibilities with demanding careers in science, health and technology. He has also championed Research4Life as the central element in Elsevier’s Corporate Responsibility program. The Elsevier Foundation's Innovative Libraries program also supports capacity-building projects in the fields of science, technology and medicine — through training, education; infrastructure digitization and preservation of information. Previously, he was with Merck & Co., Inc., where he had primary responsibility for corporate external communications, corporate responsibility, corporate advertising, employee communications, publishing, and the Merck Company Foundation. Mr. Ruth also served with the U.S. Department of State under the Clinton Administration, where he was appointed Senior Coordinator for Business Affairs; and the American Express Company, where he held a number of positions in public affairs and communications in Asia, Europe and North America. Mr. Ruth earned a Master’s degree from the Columbia University School of International Affairs, with a specialization in international economics, and a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin.
Janet Bandows Koster, M.B.A., assumed her position as Executive Director of the Association for Women in Science (AWIS) in July 2006. She is responsible for the day-to-day management of the 5,000 member organization, which is the largest multi-disciplinary scientific organization for women in the U.S. She has more than 20 years experience in international association and nonprofit management including a strong background in membership marketing and communications. Most recently, she served as Executive Director of the United German-American Committee of the USA, Inc. She has also held senior leadership positions in AARP and Volunteers of America. Ms. Bandows Koster earned a bachelor's degree in Diplomacy and World Affairs from Occidental College in Los Angeles, an M.A. in International Relations from Troy State University, and a M.B.A. from the Keller Graduate School of DeVry University. She is a member of the American Society of Association Executives. She serves on the Advisory Board for the NPA ADVANCE Project, From Postdoc to Faculty: Transition Issues for Women Scientists.
Dr. Donna J. Dean
Currently an independent consultant, Dr. Donna J. Dean retired in May 2010 from her position as Senior Science Advisor with Lewis-Burke Associates LLC in Washington, DC. She has 27 years of experience in research and science policy at the National Institutes of Health and the Food and Drug Administration. Her training includes B.A. in chemistry (Berea College), Ph.D. in biochemistry (Duke), postdoctoral research (Princeton), and executive leadership (Harvard JFK School of Government). Her honors include Berea Distinguished Alumnus Award for her career achievements in the public sector and advocacy for underrepresented groups in science and engineering. She is a fellow of the Association for Women in Science, AAAS, American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering, and Washington Academy of Sciences. Author of Getting the Most out of Your Mentoring Relationships: A Handbook for Women in STEM, 2009.
