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The UK parliament's House of Commons Science and Technology Committee has published the report of its inquiry on Women in Scientific Careers. Key points:
- Despite imperatives and attempts to improve the under-representation of women, only 17 per cent of STEM professors are women.
- The UK economy needs more STEM workers and cannot meet the demand without increasing the numbers of women in STEM.
- The lack of gender diversity in STEM is the result of perceptions and biases combined with the impracticalities of combining a career with family.
- Diversity and equality training should be provided to all STEM undergraduate and postgraduate students. It should also be mandatory for all members of recruitment and promotion panels and line managers.
- Early career short term contracts are a barrier to job security and continuity of employment rights. This career stage coincides with many women considering starting families - they are more likely than men to end their STEM career at this stage.
- Government should work with the higher education sector to review the academic career structure and increase the number of longer-term positions for post-doctoral researchers.
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