Indian science and indian women--Your views
Krushna Mavani
Thursday, 24 January 2008 03:31 UTC
Many might have noticed that the young age group of science studnets includes greater number of girls compared to the older age groups in science(starting from masters to doctors and to the top levels in science/research). Although many may be talented above average in their age-group, most of the girls drop out (specially after marriage). There are many reasons we can discuss but my concern is this:- when a talented girl drops out from science after marriage, it is happily accepted by everybody and all feel comfortable in this social frame where indian women do ‘typical role ONLY’.
Are indian women underestimated??
Why not are indian women given more and better choices to fit in the society??
How to bring awareness in women themselves and the society ?
Similar concerns are also rising in developed countries but it seems that the gender-biasing from the research community itself is a major problem. Most of the times, this ‘quitting of talented women’ is overlooked or not considered that seriously. I think, although canges cannot be done overnight but the problem itself should be identified first by many and more attention is required to shake it up.
Please write your ideas on what can be done?
or
what should we, the research community, should do!??
If you think that this trend of years should not change now, then please say WHY?
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Well, how about organizing such events ..
‘http://network.nature.com/forums/euroscicon/615’..also in India?
Experience shared by different senior women researchers may inspire juniors.
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Hi Krushna,
I would just say it is a reflection of the social set up in which we live and operate. I see a mirror image of these issues among women in most other professions. I personally feel the problem is more social than professional. And as I always keep telling my women friends across professions, one has to work doubly hard to get where a male colleague does. But believe me things are so much better for our generation where gender has taken a backseat in many work environments. At times, me and Jaishree, the publisher for Nature India, discuss how we simply forget about our genders while at work. And secretly take pride in how much more efficient women are compared to their male colleagues these days!
Having said that, I must say that I am not oblivious to the issues facing women scientists. Nature India is just launching (on February one). We hope to have events on wide ranging issues in the future. We will keep your request in mind and would love to hear from women scientists of this country.
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Geetha Rayasam from Ranbaxy sent in this entry:
I just saw this discussion and I think this is an universal problem, both in developed and developing countries and across all fields. I thought I will just share with you a recent publication of ours (from NIH, USA, when I was doing my post doc there).
The reference is EMBO Reports, Vol8 No 11, 2007, 977.Regards,
GeethaP.S: Pl feel free to post your replies here Geetha.
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Thank you Subhra, for considering this request. Such events by boost the confidence of young women researchers to persue career ahead.
I read the article mentioned by Geetha, which shows almost alerting numbers of quitting women at postdoc level, who are trained well.
Yes, I agree that these days are better than the past for women researchers, but still there is a lot of scope for improvement in this scenario in India and abroad.
Although time is changing and women are taking active roles in work-force in every field, the policies are old-fashioned to fit women in research, for example: no flexible work-hours or no part-time jobs for re-entering women/mothers in research.
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Hi Krushna, Geetha,
Couldn’t wait to share this. Naama Barkai of the Weizman Institute of Science in Rehovot, Israel has been awarded the first-ever FEBS/EMBO Women in Science Award. Naama Barkai receives the 2008 award for her outstanding contribution to the field of systems biology and the mathematical modelling of biological systems. Three cheers!
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I do agree that women do drop from scietific career, but I hope most will agree with the fact that it depends on individual. If you are determined for science, I dont see any reason to drop this and we do see such determined women in our society quite often. One need to be firm on her decision to continue and fight for this!
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Hello Subhra,
It is nice to hear about this award for women in science!
Well, yes some changes we will start to see now as some organizations recognize the potential of some talented women in research area and there is a need to motivate them in order to persue their good research work and for junior women researchers, they become examples to follow.
hi Kuljeet, I partially agree with you that one needs determination if there are odds in front. The women who survived long in reserch and doing well are all determined.
But, I think that the large number of women ‘postdocs’ who drop, may not be ‘all’ less determined. We have to accept that our social set up does not favor the career-oriented women and the policies/environment/mentality at many working places are really old and more oriented towards men as their working-force. However, this is my personal belief.
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Interesting article here
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Hi, I am Kavitha from Leeds, UK.
I am a Postdoc researcher for 6 years now.
I do really enjoy my research here. Given the right work and home environment will boost an individual’s outcome. Recently, we published in Nature. Due credits go to the group along with my beautiful structures of myosin.
I have to admit at times i do face the dilemma of balancing work and life. I have to pull all my strings to come and perform what i am expected to do.
No matter a women or men, if they have conscientious and take pride in whatever they do and accomplish, there will reduced gender bias at any level.
Eleanor Roosevelt said ‘No one can make you feel inferior without your consent’
Women have to fight harder to succeed, when the circumstances are not conducive. We can not leave everything to fate and let things happen their own way.
Sometimes, women are to be blamed for their down voyage. Men do not realize what we want beacuse we seldom say what we need. I think nowadays things are changing for good.
But we have to admit there are some arrogant/chauvinistic individuals around us who think women are next to nothing. It might need a group of women to change their attitude. Hard to change the Leopard spots though….... -
hi,
statement 1:
Do you think women dont continue jobs like teacher / lecturer / (even) IT (if day shift) etc even after marriage!!! So I think social set up is not the matter.statement 2:
women married to a professor / research personnel, if they r performing well, they too continue in research / science!!!!If one can accept both the above are true to a greater extent then he / she can fix where is the problem. Hope we should also find solutions and solve the problem.
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