Science's Future: Do Women Hold The Key?

A move is on in academia and government to shatter barriers that traditionally have stymied U.S. females' pursuit of science careers The warning cry sounds loud and clear throughout the science community and well beyond--in the halls of Congress and in the financial community: The United States is suffering from severe and worsening shortage of scientists, one that threatens the nation's ability to compete internationally Everyone, from the president to academicians to industry leaders, is wor

Written byRobin Eisner

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A move is on in academia and government to shatter barriers that traditionally have stymied U.S. females' pursuit of science careers

The warning cry sounds loud and clear throughout the science community and well beyond--in the halls of Congress and in the financial community: The United States is suffering from severe and worsening shortage of scientists, one that threatens the nation's ability to compete internationally Everyone, from the president to academicians to industry leaders, is worried about where the next generation of scientists will come from. In light of this, should the fact that the number of women working as scientists in the U.S. has tripled during the past decade be viewed as a step in the direction of potential salvation?

Not necessarily.

Despite the strides that women scientists have made in recent years, not enough of them are entering the field to significantly affect the shortfall in America's scientific ...

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