Through the years, I have heard many speak in favor of women's rights. However, I have witnessed few, if any, significant allocations of resources in support of women in science. Although a number of government and private programs currently do exist, many of these are limited or restricted in nature.
I recall an article written some years ago (C. Djerassi, "My mom, the professor," Science, 239:10, 1988) that created a flurry of letters to the editor. The writer asked why the phrase "My mom, the professor" isn't heard more often and thereby identified the problem. Seven years from that time, the intolerable state of women in science remains. Women still suffer from long hours, low pay, and inadequate funding, along with other problems that center on everyday necessities, such as child care. But there are also intellectual necessities, such as peer support, as well as the need for mentoring and ...
