要約

Recent reports on women faculty in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields have focused on the increases in number and percentage of women in the biological, psychological, and social sciences, while also emphasizing the continuing lower numbers in the physical sciences and the plateau of women in engineering and the drop in computer science since the 1980s. This project contributes to the variety of institutional, psychological, and social studies through a re-examination of what successful academic women scientists see as major career and laboratory climate issues. The paper examines the results provided by the 1997, 1998, 1999, and 2000 National Science Foundation (NSF) Professional Opportunities for Women in Research and Education (POWRE) awardees to the first two questions on the original e-mail questionnaire re-administered to them during the 2011−2012 academic year. Analyses from the 175 respondents in 2012 suggest that although tight funding and budget constraints present increased challenges in 2012, the issues from 10 to 15 years ago persist, with balancing work with family responsibilities as the continuing predominant challenge.