A Hothouse for Female Scientists

Authors

Robin Wilson

Document Type

News Article

Journal/Book Title/Conference

The Chronicle of Higher Education

Volume

52

Issue

35

Publisher

The Chronicle of Higher Education

Publication Date

5-5-2006

Abstract

Research universities have top-of-the-line laboratories, the most-accomplished researchers, and giant federal grants. But they don't hold a monopoly on preparing future scientists. In fact, some of the nation's small liberal-arts colleges send on more women, proportionally, for Ph.D.'s in the sciences than do elite research universities. Higher-education leaders have been trying for years to get more women interested in careers in mathematics and science. The issue often boils down to the "pipeline" — universities cannot hire female physicists if women aren't getting Ph.D.'s, and women cannot earn doctorates unless they're prepared as undergraduates. The numbers show that liberal-arts colleges may hold some of the answers.

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Originally published by The Chronicle of Higher Education. HTML fulltext available through remote link.

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