While women are entering the sciences and health professions in record numbers, the percentage that achieves positions of leadership lags far behind that of male scientists. This deficit of high-ranking female science leaders represents both a business and equity issue. Diversity, including gender diversity, has come to be recognized as an essential component in the development and maintenance of strong, creative, and competitive organizations. This is achieved not through tokenism but by the presence of a "critical mass" of women and other minorities in leadership roles.
An increasing number of programs address the "pipeline" issue - ensuring that there are capable, qualified women and minority scientists in entry-level positions.2 Several programs - the National Science Foundation Advance Program, the Association of American Medical Colleges' (AAMC) Early- and Mid-Career Faculty Seminars, and MentorNet for female engineers - have been successful in training and supporting women at the beginning to midlevel stages ...
