Diversity imbalance still plagues science & engineering

17 Jun 2002

Women and minorities continue to take fewer high-level mathematics and science courses in high school; they still earn fewer bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees in science and engineering (S&E;); and they remain less likely to be employed in S&E; jobs than are white males. Those are the conclusions of a new government report, Women, Minorities and Persons With Disabilities in Science and Engineering 1996. Published by the National Science Foundation (NSF), the report reveals progress as well as signs of persistent underrepresentation.

Among 1994 Scholastic Aptitude Test takers, fewer women (13 percent) than men (31 percent) intended to pursue natural science, mathematics, or engineering fields. Yet, women's grades among first-year college students planning S&E; majors are higher than men's. A substantial gap in mean salary -- $13,200 -- exists between men and women with S&E; doctorates.

The study additionally found that women are less likely to be on a tenure track and are more likely to teach part time or on short-term contracts."Some progress has been made over the last several decades, especially in degrees to women, but there is still room for improvement." the introduction to the NSF report notes.