Studies

This is a short list of studies that have been done regarding the retention of women in the sciences:

• The Ongoing Demographic Shift in the AAS (STATUS January 2009)
• Gender Imbalance in U.S. Geoscience Academia (Nature Geoscience February 2008, v. 1,  n. 2,  p. 79-82)
• Women in Physics and Astronomy (AIP, 2005);
• International Studies of Women in Physics (AIP, 2001 and 2005);
• Academic Specialties in U.S. Are Shifting: Hiring of Women Geoscientists is Stagnating (EOS 2003, v. 84, n. 43, p. 457);
• Attracting and Retaining Women in Science and Engineering (AAUP, July 2003); and
• Graduate School and the Job Market of the 1990s: A Survey of Young Geoscientists (Chris Golde and Peter Fiske).

There is also compiled survey data available at the following sites which you may find useful:

• The American Institute of Physics Statistical Research Center;
• The National Science Foundation’s Division of Science Resources Statistics; and
• The National Doctoral Program Survey, with results that can be viewed by gender.

The latest demographic study directly addresses the question of leadership on NASA missions.  The results were published in two parts, focusing on age and gender of the PIs, project scientists, co-investigators, and participating scientists on planetary science missions since 1979.

A new study is currently being designed by representatives of the group behind this blog, the AGU, the DPS, and the AIP.  Looking for a specific piece of data or have ideas?  Leave a comment here!