Inhalt: "A survey of fiscal year 1997 POWRE (Professional Opportunities for Women in Research
and Education) awardees from the National Science Foundation revealed that women engineers
and scientists face similar issues, challenges, and opportunities and think that the
laboratory climate has similar impacts on their careers. Separating responses of women
scientists from those of women engineers revealed that 70% of both groups listed balancing
work with family responsibilities as the most difficult issue. Discrepancies in percentages
of women, coupled with differences among disciplinary and subdisciplinary cultures
within science, engineering, mathematics, and technology fields, complicate work climates
and their impact on women's careers. More frequently than women scientists, women
engineers listed issues such as (a) low numbers of women leading to isolation, (b)
lack of camaraderie and mentoring, (c) gaining credibility/respect from peers and
administrators, (d) time management, (e) prioritizing responsibilities due to disproportionate
demands, and (f) learning the rules of the game to survive in a male-dominated environment.
Women engineers also listed two positive issues more frequently than women scientists:
active recruitment/more opportunities for women and impact of successful women in
the profession. The small number of women engineers may explain these results and
suggests that it may be inappropriate to group them with other women scientists for
analysis, programs, and policies." (author's abstract)|