The lack of a strong mentoring system, coupled with communication difficulties between men and women, contribute to an inequality between the two genders in professions dealing with mathematics, computing, and science, according to Mary Bisson, professor and chairperson of the department of biological sciences.
Bisson, who was the first female chair and tenured professor of her department, addressed the issue of women in sciences during her lecture, "Women and Science: What to Tell the Girls?"
Despite the inequalities, women in science, in recent years, have become more visible because women now face fewer barriers than she did when she was in college, she said. Disparities between men and women in the field of science begin in adolescence.
"Girls, when reaching puberty, experience a crash in self-confidence and are less able to take criticism as boys," Bisson said. "Science is hard - you're constantly told that you're not good enough. To succeed in science, girls need to be tough. Women need to know when they're good and that others have self doubts."
Girls, Bisson said, start out "enthusiastic for science (and) math. But the longer they study, the more likely they are to drop out." In order for females to succeed in the sciences, girls need to be impressed with the importance of math and science and be influenced by women scientist mentors, Bisson said.
She said that men partake in informal ways of mentoring each other to which women often do not have access.
"Men go out together, play golf and talk about how to get tenure track positions," Bisson said. "Women don't have that. We need more women in positions of being able to mentor other women."
Further difficulty can arise in the recommendation process, she said - inequalities can be found in letters of recommendation written for women by their male mentors.
"I've seen letters written by men, for male and female students," she said. "Men tend to be described as problem-solvers, independent - women, as 'competent.'"
"Saying someone is 'competent' is the kiss of death in the sciences," Bisson said. "Women think it's a compliment."
She also said women need to learn to communicate more effectively with men.
"Men don't see 'would you please' as a command; women do," Bisson said. "Women need to learn to command, and men need to learn to listen to women."
The lack of communication between the sexes leads to the subtle inequalities that still exist in the sciences, according to Bisson.
Women do not earn the same salaries as men with comparable jobs and experience, and often are not promoted to higher positions, she said. Without the same mentoring system that men have, "Women cannot get grants. Women receive fewer awards for the same work as men do."
However, women often go into a career with different considerations than do men, Bisson said. Women don't care as much about salary as men do, but place a higher importance on "doing something with their lives."
Fred Stoss, a biological sciences librarian in the Science and Engineering Library, agreed with Bisson, noting that men are not aware of a shift in gender roles that is occurring.
"Men need to be cognizant that women are catching up," Stoss said. "We need to learn to play on the same team."
To increase equity and cooperation between the sexes, Stoss suggested educating men in how to work with women in their new positions in the sciences.
"Men and women need to accept that there are differences in communication on each side," he said. "They need to establish effective dialogue between themselves."
Bisson's lecture was sponsored by UB's Institute for Research and Education on Women and Gender as part of its first annual "Gender Week" events series.
