Survey

Submitted November 29, 2007, 9:26 AM

Were you encouraged, as a girl, to pursue a career in the sciences or applied sciences? Whether you answer yes or no, please elaborate on the nature of the encouragement / discouragement.

yes, my parents always wanted me to be a doctor

Did you receive any support from your college professors to pursue a career in the sciences or applied sciences? Whether you answer yes or no, please elaborate on the type of support (or lack thereof).

no, I always had to push myself to persue in the career I want.

Please describe your career experiences as a woman scientist, science educator, or scientist in training since completing your bachelor\'s degree. Did your work environment fully encourage you to pursue your career?

I am currently a college student who is majoring in medical technology.

Was there a particular event or period in your career when you realized that you did not have access to the same opportunities as your male colleagues? If so, please describe. If not, please describe the experiences which have led you to feel that your career has not been hampered in this way.

no not realy

Have your opportunities as a woman scientist changed over time? If so, was the change for better or worse?

How important were networks of women scientists during the various stages of your education and career (e.g. grammar school, high school, college, graduate school)?

i was encouraged by my female teachers

What advice would you provide to young women considering a career in science?

keep doing what you beleive in

When you attended college/university, did you encounter woman scientists and/or engineers whom you considered role models? Did you take any classes on the history of women in science and engineering? Did you learn about the accomplishments of women scientists/engineers?

In your experience, did it seem that the demand of raising a family, either by you or by colleagues, affect the type of work that you do?

i dont have a family yet

Have you worked with a colleague or a limited amount of partners over a long time? How do you prefer to work, individually or as a team?

i prefer working in teams

What is your highest level of education attained?

high school deploma

What is your professional affiliation?

medical technology

Submitted August 16, 2002, 2:29 PM

Were you encouraged, as a girl, to pursue a career in the sciences or applied sciences? Whether you answer yes or no, please elaborate on the nature of the encouragement / discouragement.

I wanted to be a geologist, but my mother said it was no profession for a woman. I studied biology as an undergraduate and was set to teach high school when I discovered I could not stand the education courses. I switched to environmental sciences as a way to get closer to my geological interest. My husband encouraged me to pursue the sciences, and has been supportive throughout my career.

Once in the workplace many supported me, but I did find others that tried to place roadblocks in my way.

The faculty were always supportive of my interests, and I am lucky that I did not have problems with them. Drexel is a very scientific/engineering university so it might not have been as difficult as other schools. Still the ratio of men to women at the time was 7:1.

The most significant point in my career was attending the Gordon Research Conference. I met many scientists (mostly men) who later played significant roles in helping me in my career. When Raytheon became a corporate sponsor of the Society of Women Engineers, they had to look hard to find five corporate members. That is how I ended up as a member. At the time, I was a very junior scientist in the organization.

I had to deal with many men who were uncomfortable working with a woman in the work environment early in my career. As women became more common, it lessened somewhat, but until I got into management, I often had difficulty with some of the older men. As a manager, I had some older men who had difficulty working for me, but we managed to work that out.

My boss was to go to Germany to meet with the senior managers of the German chemical industry. He had a back problem and could not go. It would have been my place to represent the American Chemical industry at that meeting, but we both decided that a woman would not be accepted in that role by the German industrialists.

In most cases, I have been able to overcome the limitations, usually by using humor. Problems still exist, but I prefer to view them as challenges.

Have your opportunities as a woman scientist changed over time? If so, was the change for better or worse?

The opportunites are much better now. Many of the problems I have faced are no longer a challenge to women entering the workforce. The problem is still at the top. Women have not broken the glass ceiling, but we are cracking it.

How important were networks of women scientists during the various stages of your education and career (e.g. grammar school, high school, college, graduate school)?

No very to me. There were so few women in my fields at the time that I had to rely on men mentors. I find that I now work in networks and other organizations to help women who follow. The women ahead of me had an attitude that said, "I made it without help, you can too." These women did little to mentor those who followed. That is not the case today. Women are helping women.

What advice would you provide to young women considering a career in science?

Go for it. It is a wonderful experience. Do not let others tell you what to do, but have the conviction that you know what you want to do. Seek many mentors, and do not feel that you are lost without a mentor. They help, but you need to make your own decisions.

There were few women faculty in the sciences. A woman microbiologist really encouraged me in the sciences, but there were few women faculty. There were no history classes or other ways of learning about women in science or engineering other than personal reading.

That has changed, but the women were few and far between in the 1960s when I was in school.

In your experience, did it seem that the demand of raising a family, either by you or by colleagues, affect the type of work that you do?

My husband and I chose not to raise a family for that reason. We are both career-oriented people and did not believe that you could devote sufficient time to both a family and a career to do both jobs well.

Have you worked with a colleague or a limited amount of partners over a long time? How do you prefer to work, individually or as a team?

I am comfortable as both. I worked with teams and large structures for so long that it was fun to work by myself. I am comfortable with both enivronments.

What is your highest level of education attained?

phd
1970

Submitted March 10, 2003, 11:33 PM

Were you encouraged, as a girl, to pursue a career in the sciences or applied sciences? Whether you answer yes or no, please elaborate on the nature of the encouragement / discouragement.

Yes. My family always emphasized that I was doing well in the sciences and math classes growing up. My parents suggested engineering as a good way to support myself and apply my intelligence.

Nothing specific. I don't remember any special or unusual encouragement by my engineering or other professors. We were all just doing the best we could in our classes. Many were weedout classes.

I've been in the work environment for six years post bachelor's. I would say that my work environment is very conducive to pursuing my career, but completely out of touch with the desire to balance my life and my career. I work in an all-male environment (I am the only female full-time person out of twelve people total). Most are much older (over 40) and work way too many hours, neglecting their spouses and families, and failing to cultivate personal interests outside of work. As a result, many of them do not seem very content or very healthy. I have to take a strong and constant stand to maintain that balance in my own life, but I can see why many women do not choose this path. It is not easy.

I haven't really noticed this. Yes, the atmosphere in which I work is a lot like an "old boys' club", but I perceive I would be allowed entrance if I wanted it. I just don't want to spend my non-work hours drinking beer and socializing as much as is required to join!

Have your opportunities as a woman scientist changed over time? If so, was the change for better or worse?

Not so far. But I've only been working for six years.

How important were networks of women scientists during the various stages of your education and career (e.g. grammar school, high school, college, graduate school)?

So far, I can say I haven't really had a network of women scientists or engineers. My field (mechanical engineering) was almost entirely male--both teachers and fellow students. All my important contacts (in terms of grad school and jobs) to date have been male.

What advice would you provide to young women considering a career in science?

Be disciplined and work hard, but don't forget to appreciate your efforts. Many of your male colleagues will not be lavish with praise though you will likely earn their quiet respect with a good work ethic.

Never sacrifice personal happiness for a job. It is possible to balance personal desires and preferences with work, but it may not be easy since that's not the default behavior in engineering.

I only remember one female engineering professor who stuck out as a role model. She really seemed to care that all her students would do well and went out of her way to get us (men and women) to come see her for help.

No.

No.

In your experience, did it seem that the demand of raising a family, either by you or by colleagues, affect the type of work that you do?

Not so far. But I have not raised a family (yet). Also, my colleauges do not do much of the day-to-day work in raising their own families.

Have you worked with a colleague or a limited amount of partners over a long time? How do you prefer to work, individually or as a team?

No.

I prefer to do the bulk of my work individually and efficiently as possible and then come together with the appropriate folks to touch base and review progress on a regular basis. My job involves lots of coordination with people and balance between that and my own work is key.

What is your highest level of education attained?

ms_ma
1999

Submitted August 14, 2002, 8:32 PM

Were you encouraged, as a girl, to pursue a career in the sciences or applied sciences? Whether you answer yes or no, please elaborate on the nature of the encouragement / discouragement.

I can't say that I was encouraged at all, but I don't believe I was ever discouraged, either.

Yes. I had several professors at NDSU who seemed supportive. They helped get me interested in many aspects of electrical engineering and encouraged my participation in extra-curricular engineering activities.

I do not work directly with any other women engineers or scientists, which can be frustrating at times. I would have to say that yes, my work environment has encouraged and continues to encourage me to pursue my career.

Have your opportunities as a woman scientist changed over time? If so, was the change for better or worse?

I have only been out of college 4 years, so don't feel I can really answer this question.

How important were networks of women scientists during the various stages of your education and career (e.g. grammar school, high school, college, graduate school)?

During college especially and now since college as well, the networks have been very important.

What advice would you provide to young women considering a career in science?

Do not get discouraged by others who may feel you don't "belong" -- the challenges and rewards will more than make up for those instances.

I did not encounter any scientists or engineers that I would consider role models until my third year in the program. There was no course offered on the history of women in science and engineering, but several were discussed in the 2 History of Technology courses I took. Yes, I did then learn about their accomplishments.

In your experience, did it seem that the demand of raising a family, either by you or by colleagues, affect the type of work that you do?

I am single, and have noticed that when others have family demands, I am expected at times to pick up their slack.

Have you worked with a colleague or a limited amount of partners over a long time? How do you prefer to work, individually or as a team?

I would prefer to work as a team.

What is your highest level of education attained?

Don't know / can't remember

Submitted May 9, 2003, 1:53 PM

Were you encouraged, as a girl, to pursue a career in the sciences or applied sciences? Whether you answer yes or no, please elaborate on the nature of the encouragement / discouragement.

Yes. I was a geek and I figured Science was my thing. No one told me otherwise. I did notice that in the advanced courses in high school, it was mostly girls in the class. My parents expected me to go to college (asians do that). My highschool biology teacher did warn me that biochemistry as a profession could be boring as she was one. Being a tech is tedious. That was when I decided to get an advanced degree.

I was a biochem major and had good grades. No one discouraged me in college. When there was a summer job to test out a new chem course, my chem professor did suggest I apply for the job as I had done well in the course.

A bachelors degree was pretty easy. No discouragment as far as I could tell. The Engineering department I heard though was a different story.

As a graduate student, I had to switch labs as my professor ran out of money. I went to one of the professors and he asked me for my math grades. Since I had done my undergrad in this department (very small department), it was known that I had good math skills. He didn't have any minorities in his lab and this was his way of getting rid of me.

Have your opportunities as a woman scientist changed over time? If so, was the change for better or worse?

Opportunities are changing but still the successful women all seem to have "wives" that supported their demanding careers.

How important were networks of women scientists during the various stages of your education and career (e.g. grammar school, high school, college, graduate school)?

The networks were very important. Any organization that allows you to vent or gather informatoin is exteremely important.

What advice would you provide to young women considering a career in science?

Get an MD not a PhD. Much more flexibility and a lot more pay.

When you attended college/university, did you encounter woman scientists and/or engineers whom you considered role models? Not really. Most of the students were female, but the Biochem teachers were predominatly male. The Biology department had 2 female scientists and they were brand new and didn't come on baord till the middle of my graduate program.

Did you take any classes on the history of women in science and engineering? No.

Did you learn about the accomplishments of women scientists/engineers? No, but I did join the Association for Women in Science in graduate school. I took some other graduate students with me for a meeting and one comment from a friend: They are not all dyckes. The problem was that the female faculty at my university looked like they barely ever saw daylight. Not a good image. The men weren't any better looking but you expected that. Unfortunately, women are graded on thier looks.

In your experience, did it seem that the demand of raising a family, either by you or by colleagues, affect the type of work that you do?

The women with children were much more efficient than I was in graduate school. Now that I am in technical scientific sales, I have found that the flexibility in work hours will be perfect for raising children.

Have you worked with a colleague or a limited amount of partners over a long time? How do you prefer to work, individually or as a team?

I have done group and independent work. There is no job that requires you to work completely alone. I like being able to work independtly with bouts of team work. You get lonely working alone. But some of your colleagues may dump all the work on you and then I don't want to work with them at all.

What is your highest level of education attained?

postdoc
1995

Submitted August 13, 2002, 11:14 PM

Were you encouraged, as a girl, to pursue a career in the sciences or applied sciences? Whether you answer yes or no, please elaborate on the nature of the encouragement / discouragement.

Yes - I had great teachers in both elementary and high school who encouraged both male and female students to do what they loved. I excelled in math and sciences, and I took "honors" classes, so the instructors led me to believe that I could and would do well in whatever I chose to do. Since this was all at 2 public schools in El Paso, Texas, I feel very blessed. I know this was not the case for everyone.

Definitely yes. I felt totally at home in the Geology Department at Texas Christian University. I had two advisors who worked with me very closely (both male) who helped train me to become a research scientist and encouraged me to pursue an academic career.

I got a M.S. in Geology at Arizona State University. It was my intent on entering the program to get my M.S. and go to another school for a Ph.D. and to become a full professor at a university. The experience I had at ASU fully suffocated that idea and that dream. Some of the experience had to do with individuals in the department, some with the department as a whole, some with the realizations of what a Research I institution was really like, and some was due to realizing the LARGE number of sacrifices one had to make to become a well-respected researcher (with respect to 80+ hour weeks and no time to have or raise children). So, emphatically NO, my experience didn't encourage me to pursue the original dream.

However, I was lucky enough to get involved in the local community college system after receiving my MS, and I found that my dream was really focused on the *teaching* part of the educational system. I am very happy where I am and doing what I'm doing (teaching GLG101/102 @ Glendale Community College), and I feel lucky that I fell into something that I truly love.

I don't think that outside forces have directly affected me or hampered my career solely based on my being female. More, I feel that society and the science community is no overly accepting of women who want to have children, and I feel some pressure and some "wierdness" surrounding my decision to begin to try to conceive.

Otherwise, I feel my pay and level of advancement is in tune with male collegues in my profession.

Have your opportunities as a woman scientist changed over time? If so, was the change for better or worse?

Since I have not really felt hampered based on my gender, I don't really see any significant change.

How important were networks of women scientists during the various stages of your education and career (e.g. grammar school, high school, college, graduate school)?

It was very nice to have lots of other female students going through grad school at the same time as I did. It was nice to have a sounding board for my ideas and to see that there was a significant population of women geoscientists.

What advice would you provide to young women considering a career in science?

DO WHAT YOU LOVE, and don't let anyone else decide what that is!

Very few women (none in my college dept.); those I ran into the grad program were definitely NOT role models (they lacked any ethical position in my opinion).

No - no classes

Yes - but just the "mainstream" like Marie Curie, etc.

In your experience, did it seem that the demand of raising a family, either by you or by colleagues, affect the type of work that you do?

I know that I could not have been a Research I research scientist and have had time to be the mother I want to be.

Have you worked with a colleague or a limited amount of partners over a long time? How do you prefer to work, individually or as a team?

Really either, depending on the project. I usually do best working with 1 other person or in a small group.

What is your highest level of education attained?

ms_ma
1997

Submitted January 16, 2003, 5:11 PM

Were you encouraged, as a girl, to pursue a career in the sciences or applied sciences? Whether you answer yes or no, please elaborate on the nature of the encouragement / discouragement.

Yes. My father was a scientist and a professor. He and my mother encouraged me to read science related books and to pursue my interests in various areas. I was never discouraged by them in any way.

Yes and no. Some professors encouraged me to go to graduate school. There was only one who made it clear he did not think women belonged in his area of work, and thereafter, I did avoid that area of study!

My graduate school environment certainly did encourage me. My mentor was a woman.

My limitations have been a product of my own choices interacting with circumstances. I have not chosen to job hop as some people have, which has probably held me back in some respects. But I am also probably happier for it.

Have your opportunities as a woman scientist changed over time? If so, was the change for better or worse?

Not really. There is less overt hostility to women in science now than there was, but women are still shouted down by men in some contexts.

How important were networks of women scientists during the various stages of your education and career (e.g. grammar school, high school, college, graduate school)?

Mildly important. I have usually been the one providing the mentoring, rather than receiving it.

What advice would you provide to young women considering a career in science?

Know what you really want in life - what your real goals are. Do you want to be famous or do you want to be happy? You might not get to do both. Pick a mate who sincerely supports you, and be ready to negotiate during the ups and downs of both your careers. Recognize that careers go through stages, just as people themselves do. Expect change, but think ahead to be sure you are really pursuing your goals. Don't pick science unless you truly love it. Faculties are already sufficiently full with burned out data shovelers who lost their spark years ago.

There were women researchers I met in college who were faculty role models. There were no classes I knew of (early 70's!) on women in science.

In your experience, did it seem that the demand of raising a family, either by you or by colleagues, affect the type of work that you do?

Yes definitely. My family has been a factor in my decision-making re: opportunities.

Have you worked with a colleague or a limited amount of partners over a long time? How do you prefer to work, individually or as a team?

I like to work in a team. I have my own research group and a large network of collaborators.

What is your highest level of education attained?

postdoc
1980

Submitted August 14, 2002, 9:01 PM

Were you encouraged, as a girl, to pursue a career in the sciences or applied sciences? Whether you answer yes or no, please elaborate on the nature of the encouragement / discouragement.

Yes, My father encouraged me to study those fields because there we so few women in that area.

Yes, My female professors have been excellent mentors, However the older male professors seemed to make it harder on women.

I have further pursued my education and have finished my MS in BME and am striving toward my PHD. I feel that there needs to be more female professor involved in engg.

Have your opportunities as a woman scientist changed over time? If so, was the change for better or worse?

Same

How important were networks of women scientists during the various stages of your education and career (e.g. grammar school, high school, college, graduate school)?

Very!

What advice would you provide to young women considering a career in science?

Find a good role model and they can show you all the right ropes there are to climb being a women in engineering.

Yes, No, Yes, through SWE

In your experience, did it seem that the demand of raising a family, either by you or by colleagues, affect the type of work that you do?

To an extent, especially in the industrial field, I think there is minimal flexibility for women than there is in acadamia. That is one main reason why I have chosen that path.

Have you worked with a colleague or a limited amount of partners over a long time? How do you prefer to work, individually or as a team?

Yes, I prefer either or depending on the program, however in a team setting I typically like to take an active lead role to make sure things are done to my satisfaction level.

What is your highest level of education attained?

ms_ma
2002

Submitted August 17, 2002, 5:41 PM

Were you encouraged, as a girl, to pursue a career in the sciences or applied sciences? Whether you answer yes or no, please elaborate on the nature of the encouragement / discouragement.

I was not actively encouraged. I was very interested in math - so I entered college as a mathematics major. In spite of the fact that my father was a PhD engineer, no one had suggested engineering as a career for me. I transferred to engineering after the end of my first year in college. I have a degree in Applied Mathematics with a minor in Electrical Engineering and am a professional engineer registered in Colorado - so I am effectively an electrical engineer. (P.S. my guidance counselor in high school told me not to bother applying early decision to the University of Virginia - I was a Virginia resident. I applied anyway and was accepted.) When I called home my first year in college to tell my parents that I was transferring to engineering, my mother's response was "no." (which she now denies) My father was ecstatic.

Absolutely yes. They were wonderful. I entered the University of Virginia in the Fall of 1972, the third year that UVa admitted women after a decision of the U.S. Supreme Court. My statistics professor (after I failed the first test, found a tutor, and made an A in the class) hired me to be a research assistant to one of his graduate students. Through that experience and others (one of the professors that I graded papers for), I have to say that I had an extremely supportive college experience - in spite of no female professors.

I have had a great career. I do generation and transmission planning for electric utilities. Started at one of the best - Duke Power Company. Then had experience selling coal and learning about the coal market at Mobil Oil Corporation's Mining and Coal Division. Entered consulting in 1984 and have consulted continuously even during my stint as Director of the Women in Engineering Program at CU-Boulder from 1997-2000. Of course there has been discrimination, of course, there has been harassment. But I have thoroughly enjoyed my career and I define myself as an engineer.

After working at Duke Power for about three years, I was told that I would not be sent to management development training until I was 30. (I was 24). However, my husband who was six months older than me was sent to this training. Other than this, I can't say I have been denied any opportunities - I have to go out looking for them, however, and I'm not sure that the men do. I am satisfied with where I am in my career right now - I am self-employed doing consulting and many other things.

Have your opportunities as a woman scientist changed over time? If so, was the change for better or worse?

I believe the opportunities for me continue to improve.

How important were networks of women scientists during the various stages of your education and career (e.g. grammar school, high school, college, graduate school)?

Networks of women scientists and engineers have only been part of my life since 1979 - and they have been a lifeline. I joined the Society of Women Engineers in 1979 and finally found a place where I belonged. I became National President in 1991-1992. I consider it a key part of my life - a family unit. There was no section of SWE at UVa when I was a student and I did not find it until after I had graduated and gone to work for Duke Power.

What advice would you provide to young women considering a career in science?

If you like mathematics and sciences - just do it! Science and engineering are careers where people CAN make a difference and contribute to making the world a better place.

No women scientists/engineers as role models. As I have indicated UVa didn't admit women until the Fall of 1970. No, I never took any classes. I started learning about the accomplishments on women scientists and engineers in 1988 and have now written (and published) one book on the history of women in engineering and the book on the history of women in science is at the publishers waiting to be edited. I speak and write often on the history of women scientists and engineers.

In your experience, did it seem that the demand of raising a family, either by you or by colleagues, affect the type of work that you do?

Many of the most successful women engineers that I know are married but do not have children. I was unable to have children.

Have you worked with a colleague or a limited amount of partners over a long time? How do you prefer to work, individually or as a team?

I am extremely self-motivated. However, I do like to work in teams and on projects with other people. I am quite capable of working on projects by myself however. It depends on what the project at hand is and how to best use other people's expertise.

What is your highest level of education attained?

ms_ma
1979

Submitted August 19, 2002, 11:28 AM

Were you encouraged, as a girl, to pursue a career in the sciences or applied sciences? Whether you answer yes or no, please elaborate on the nature of the encouragement / discouragement.

Hello,
I was never encouraged or discouraged. I was gifted in math and very inquisitive. My parents treated me equally with my brothers and sisters. Chores that needed to be done needed to be done. It was never considered boy or girl chores, just chores. I did envy my brothers toys that allowed them to build things. I was able to experiment with them when they outgrew them.

I was very fortunate as an undergrad. My strong math and science skills allow me to cruise through many of my classes. I was the one who new the answers. I was the one who could answer the differcult questions in class or on exams. Other students asked my for solutions.

The physics department faculty was very friendly and supportive. There was no question about changing my major. I was being challenged and was part of the departmental family.

My Graduate experiences were not as good. I was not in a study group. I had to find the answers on my own. The faculty was not as approachable. I found things very difficult. I felt that I was not prepared and that everyone had a better foundation. I left after two years with my masters and decieded that I would never do graduate school again.

Yes and no.

I have been working as an engineer for over 17 years. I could tell you stories both good and bad. I have had support and mentoring from very good male engineers. I have also been harassed to the point that I am sure I could have pressed charges.

I felt that I had to be twice as good as any of my male counter parts inorder to be given the respect that they naturally recieved.

I have always tried to open the door for future women engineers by not be aggressive or atack those that harrassed me for being a women.

Engineering is very much a man's club. They will allow some of us in from time to time. Sometimes men just want to be with their own, which is fine but it does exclude us women from getting ahead.

Yes
I could not participate in the company golf league.

I was harrassed by a fellow engineer, because I was a woman. He would say derogatory things behind my back. I am sure that it cost me one raise and probably a promotion. Finally after I earned my Professional Engineering License I did recieve the promotion. No one else in that new position was a PE.

Have your opportunities as a woman scientist changed over time? If so, was the change for better or worse?

I take risks. My husband is always there for support. I think things have changed for the better.

How important were networks of women scientists during the various stages of your education and career (e.g. grammar school, high school, college, graduate school)?

My current position as Director of a NSF-ATE project is to give woman and minorities skills in Computer Integrated Manufacuring. I currently am working on that network.

What advice would you provide to young women considering a career in science?

Find yourself a mentor and a support system. If the envoriment is not nuturing change it. Do not go about things aggressively, but be confident and patient.

No, no, no.
Madame Curie was the only women scientist in any book.

In your experience, did it seem that the demand of raising a family, either by you or by colleagues, affect the type of work that you do?

Raising a family is tough. If I was to leave my field my skills would be come outdated. This would cause me to start over or find a new career. The company I was working for did allow me to work reduced hours and pump while at work. They did try, but they still had more to learn about the career mother.

Have you worked with a colleague or a limited amount of partners over a long time? How do you prefer to work, individually or as a team?

I have adapted to whatever the latest trend is. I do believe that team work is here to stay because it works.

What is your highest level of education attained?

ms_ma
95

Submitted February 17, 2003, 10:10 AM

Were you encouraged, as a girl, to pursue a career in the sciences or applied sciences? Whether you answer yes or no, please elaborate on the nature of the encouragement / discouragement.

As a girl, I grew up on a ranch . My oldest brother was 6 years younger than I and there was much work to be done, some required mechanical training and logical problem training. I wanted to be a vet, which was greatly encouraged.

In the 1950s I was frequently the only female in a class. Recognition and postitve support depended on the individual professors. I was not aware that any of the students were being encouraged to look beyond the first degree,

After completing a BA in Chemistry I taught Earth Science in the 8th grade in a grossly impacted Denver suburb (1959-63) and then returned to get adequate math and science to begin study for a PhD in Astrophysics. I received personal support and recognition that was a great help.

After I entered graduate school in 1965 I received a lot of support. I married in my senior year and maintained that marriage through gracuate school and went through the trama of the 2 career family in 1969-73. I had no children and committed fully to my work. I found many who were willing to let me fork with them and for them on aspects that established my reputation.

Have your opportunities as a woman scientist changed over time? If so, was the change for better or worse?

My reputation as a manager became known and I have been offered opportunities that I did not explore. The older I get the more opportunities have shifted in this direction.

How important were networks of women scientists during the various stages of your education and career (e.g. grammar school, high school, college, graduate school)?

In my early career Ihad no network. In the past 20 yearws I have worked as a senior contributor, taking time and energy away from fame and fortune.

What advice would you provide to young women considering a career in science?

If you marry, marry someone wo is not in a closely related field.

Consider the LIFESTYLE that you want and need, THEN plan you training and development plan to attain it.

No. No. No.

In your experience, did it seem that the demand of raising a family, either by you or by colleagues, affect the type of work that you do?

I had no children. I was aware of the huge demand that our work in Planetary Exploration put on the wives of my male associates and how little time those men had for their families.

Have you worked with a colleague or a limited amount of partners over a long time? How do you prefer to work, individually or as a team?

I have worked with many colleagues in small groups and large team situations.

What is your highest level of education attained?

phd
1969

Submitted January 8, 2003, 2:19 PM

Were you encouraged, as a girl, to pursue a career in the sciences or applied sciences? Whether you answer yes or no, please elaborate on the nature of the encouragement / discouragement.

Yes, my parents and teachers encouraged my interest in math and science.

None went out of their way to encourage me.

My work environment has been mainly positive, with several excellent mentors. The negative experiences of assumptions that I was a secretary have been more than balanced out.

No.

Have your opportunities as a woman scientist changed over time? If so, was the change for better or worse?

I have only been working for 5 years, so haven't seen a large change over that time period.

How important were networks of women scientists during the various stages of your education and career (e.g. grammar school, high school, college, graduate school)?

Very important in early career, nonexistant during my education.

What advice would you provide to young women considering a career in science?

Gain lots of practical experience through internships to see the best way to use your scientific background. Take many classes outside the sciences -- written and verbal communication skills learned in those are invaluable.

I had a one professor who I considered a role model. She was young, energetic, and conducting cutting edge research. I did not take any classes on the women in science and enginnering, and history classes focused on accomplishments - not gender.

In your experience, did it seem that the demand of raising a family, either by you or by colleagues, affect the type of work that you do?

Not yet.

Have you worked with a colleague or a limited amount of partners over a long time? How do you prefer to work, individually or as a team?

I have worked in small offices that require extensive teamwork, so have learned to thrive in those environments.

What is your highest level of education attained?

ms_ma
2000

Submitted August 14, 2002, 3:41 PM

Were you encouraged, as a girl, to pursue a career in the sciences or applied sciences? Whether you answer yes or no, please elaborate on the nature of the encouragement / discouragement.

Yes - as a good student I was encouraged to participate in academic competitions for math, writing, history, and science fairs. Perhaps I was encouraged even more BECAUSE I am female. Eventually, it was my high school drafing teacher that introduced me to engineering and helped give me the confidence to pursue an engineering career.

Yes - My professors were eager to answer questions both during and after class. I was encouraged to apply for grants to support independent research in Africa, which I was awarded. I became involved in several professional engineering orgnanizations, including Society of Women Engineers, Society of Plastics Engineers, and Society of Manufacturing Engineers. I developed personal relationships and informal mentorships with most of my professors, many of which I still keep in contact with today.

Yes - most notably is my company's support of my professional development as an active member of the Society of Women Engineers.

Yes - a promotional opportunity for me was continually postponed for over a year. It has caused me to wonder if the position would have opened up faster if I were male. Also, I'm not that interested in golfing, fishing, or sports (particularly football, basketball, and auto racing), which leaves me out of many social conversations.

Have your opportunities as a woman scientist changed over time? If so, was the change for better or worse?

n/a

How important were networks of women scientists during the various stages of your education and career (e.g. grammar school, high school, college, graduate school)?

Very important.

What advice would you provide to young women considering a career in science?

Take risks. Let your curiosity take over and discover what interests you.

I had two female engineering professors. Older female engineering students served as role models. The only female scientist I remember is Marie Curie. I did not take any classes on the history of women in science and rarely learned about the accomplishments of women scientists/engineers.

In your experience, did it seem that the demand of raising a family, either by you or by colleagues, affect the type of work that you do?

b/a

Have you worked with a colleague or a limited amount of partners over a long time? How do you prefer to work, individually or as a team?

I have worked in the same department of 5 for 2 years. We are a close group. I prefer both individual and team aspects.

What is your highest level of education attained?

College (bachelor's degree)
2000

Submitted October 25, 2002, 11:32 AM

Were you encouraged, as a girl, to pursue a career in the sciences or applied sciences? Whether you answer yes or no, please elaborate on the nature of the encouragement / discouragement.

No. Although in the top 10 in my class of over 650 in high school and taking an accelerated track with college placement classes, the mind set in the public school and at home was that further education was a temporary activity until marriage and babies happended!

There was no stated encouragement or discouragement, but an assumption that I would teach (though I was in a research environemnt as a physics major).

After graduate school I taught for two years, and learned about opportunities working in industry through my husband. My husband was working at a small research lab outside of Boston, and weekends and summers I helped him out (he always seemed to have extra stuff to do!). I quickly realized that the life of an engineer or scientist was far more to my liking than that of a high school physics teacher! With my husband's help (yes, my new boss extracted a promise from my husband to help me if I had trouble with the job) I moved to industry in 1976, starting out as an individual contributor, moving to running projects, then programs, managing departments, and so on. Today, I manage a few hundred people and a budget of more than $70M a year developing leading edge technology for the semiconductor industry.

I received NO encouragement (and actually a fair amount of discouragement) in the work environment until about 12 years ago, when I had a boss that told me that I had all the skills and knowledge to take me to the top, but that given the world we were in, I would have to do far more than anyone else (all male of course!) if I wanted to get there.

All the encouragement I have had has been from my husband, and as stubborn as I am, without his support, I might not have gotten to where I am today.

I can remember a few things. I am providing dates so that you can see the trends.

Late 70's - my husband got asked if it was ok for me to travel to a customer with some of my (male) co-workers before I even knew of the trip

Early 80's - I got told that although qualified for a Asst Director's job it would not happen since the guys would not be able to take direction from a woman; I was expected to understand why this was "ok" and be satisfied with helping someone else do the job rather than getting the advancement for myself

Mid 80's - I got told that my long blond hair was not right for the image of an engineering manager, and if I was serious about my career, I would cut it (this came from the only woman executive in the company) (stubborn person that I am, I did not cut it and I continued to dress with my own style!).

Late 80's - Accomplishments finally counted for somthing, and the company awarded me the President's Award (first time it went to a woman) and also sent me to Executive Management training (one of those condensed/partial MBA type courses done over a 6 month period).

One thing about being a woman in a "man's" field - you stand out. This can be good and it can be bad. When you are young and learning, your less than perfect accomplishments are very visible, which can intimidate someone whose confidence is a bit shaky or who is in an environment that is not supportive. You can also get more recognition, and potentially accomplish more with your successes, because you are easy to remember!

Have your opportunities as a woman scientist changed over time? If so, was the change for better or worse?

From looking at a few of the other responses, it looks like things have gotten better. There are certainly more women around as role models, and I have often been given the great compliment that I am one of them!

How important were networks of women scientists during the various stages of your education and career (e.g. grammar school, high school, college, graduate school)?

They did not play a role.

What advice would you provide to young women considering a career in science?

Go for it! Be sure though, that you do what makes you happy.

I do not remember any women teaching any of the science, engineering, or math classes at the state university I attended. I certainly did not encounter any in undergraduate or graduate school.

And although I took the necessary course work to get certified to teach, I do not remember anything being offered on the history of women in science and engineering (this was the early 70s and the definition of a minority was not based on gender).

There were no role models and no one described the opportunities in terms of fields and work one could go into, and I do not know if this was done for the men, either. Not too surprising, although I got a BS and MA in Physics, the first thing I did was teach!

In your experience, did it seem that the demand of raising a family, either by you or by colleagues, affect the type of work that you do?

The path I wound up in would not have tolerated the pulls that come with raising a family. Even now, I travel >30% of the time. This is extrememly hard on you as an individual, and I think jobs with travel require a strong support network when raising a family in order for all to be ok.

Have you worked with a colleague or a limited amount of partners over a long time? How do you prefer to work, individually or as a team?

I have worked the entire range. Today, it is hard to image myself as an individual contributor as compared to leading a group, so I guess that means that today I prefer a team.

What is your highest level of education attained?

ms_ma

Submitted April 29, 2003, 10:01 PM

Were you encouraged, as a girl, to pursue a career in the sciences or applied sciences? Whether you answer yes or no, please elaborate on the nature of the encouragement / discouragement.

yes, my mother always encouraged me to do whatever I wanted.

no, I never received any sort of support, moral or material.

Even though he knew I was good, my boss refused to acknowledge it. He also gave better performance appraisals for the other member in my team, a guy.

The performance appraisal my boss did showed me that if I were a male I would have got a better appraisal which translates to a higher increment - so in the end being a women affected the amount I earned. The other guy in my team got a better appraisal than me even though I completed the task assigned to me a whole 2 months earlier - my boss just refused to acknowledge that I've completed - he ignored me despite my telling him that I'm done.

Have your opportunities as a woman scientist changed over time? If so, was the change for better or worse?

no change.

How important were networks of women scientists during the various stages of your education and career (e.g. grammar school, high school, college, graduate school)?

I knew of networks of women scientists/engineers only during my career- they were very,very helpful in building confidence as well as knowledge.

What advice would you provide to young women considering a career in science?

Perseverance is the key to success.Don't let people's attitudes upset you, just keep going! Best of luck!

I didn't encounter any female role models, had no class on the history of women in S&E, and didn't learn about any accomplishment of women scientists/engineers.

In your experience, did it seem that the demand of raising a family, either by you or by colleagues, affect the type of work that you do?

yes.

Have you worked with a colleague or a limited amount of partners over a long time? How do you prefer to work, individually or as a team?

as a team.

What is your highest level of education attained?

College (bachelor's degree)
1999

Submitted January 16, 2003, 3:54 PM

Were you encouraged, as a girl, to pursue a career in the sciences or applied sciences? Whether you answer yes or no, please elaborate on the nature of the encouragement / discouragement.

Yes. My parents always encourgaed me to purse whatever i was interested in. I was actually unaware that girls "didn't do science" because I never felt any of that in my own upbringing.
My parents also alwys supplied whatever toys I was interested in, which included Legos and erector sets. My 6th grade teacher was particularly encourgaing and held an optional after school programming class in BASIC that I loved.

I majored in mechanical engineering and alwys felt like an important member fo the deaprtment. I never felt any discouragement.

After my bachelor's degree, I worked for Air Products and Chemicals doign machinery selection, testing and plant startups. Even in this traditionally male field I excelled, and never felt
like anyone thought i didn't below. I alwys felt as though I was judged on merit, not on gender.
After 4 years I returned to graduate school full-time, finishing my masters degree and then a PH.D.
I received much support in the Ph.D., even at a traditional research institution (University of Minnesota). There
were many women PH.D. mechanical engineering candidates. We have a social group which the women faculty also belonged to and which met monthly for lunch.
There was also a Women in Science and Engineering group which met regularly on campus and which I was a part of. I was fully
accepted by the other graduate studetns and the faculty.

No. I have acheived everything that I have set out to do at this stage in my career. I have a Ph.D. in Mechanical Enginering and a tenure-track faculty position.
I have been awarded grants, I serve on high ranking ASME committees and I am
fully accepted by all my collegeagues. I have never had the feeling that I
have been judged on anything other than merit.

Have your opportunities as a woman scientist changed over time? If so, was the change for better or worse?

I have always seen a lot of opportunites.

How important were networks of women scientists during the various stages of your education and career (e.g. grammar school, high school, college, graduate school)?

I liked the network of women graduate students I have during my Ph.D. studies, but more for the social aspect than anything else.

What advice would you provide to young women considering a career in science?

Go for it. Engineering can be an extremely fun and rewarding career path.

No. No. No.

In your experience, did it seem that the demand of raising a family, either by you or by colleagues, affect the type of work that you do?

I conceived my daughter (now age 3) during the time in which I was completing my Ph.D. experiments and dissertation.
My advisor was supportive and allowed me to bring her into the lab and to our meetings during her infancy. I defended my
thesis just a few weeks before her first birthday.

I have been in a demanding tenure-track position for the last two years, and while she is in
day-care full-time, I wouldn't have it any other way. She is now 3 1/2 and loves her "school" and her friends there.
I love my job, which allows me the flexibility I need as a working mother.
We spend a lot of time together and I don't feel as though I have missed out on anything.

I will be spending a semester on sabbatical in Germany and she will remain with my husband in the states.
This will be difficult, but my husband and family are very supportive and will make the
transistion easier on her. I look forward to being able to take her with me on my next sabbatical when she is 10, and expose her to foregin travel and
experiences most children do not have.

Have you worked with a colleague or a limited amount of partners over a long time? How do you prefer to work, individually or as a team?

I do all my research with a colleague. We get 4x as much work done as working alone.
I prefer to work this way. We have been in a research team for 2 years and have been quite successful.

What is your highest level of education attained?

phd
2000

Submitted February 10, 2003, 6:15 PM

Were you encouraged, as a girl, to pursue a career in the sciences or applied sciences? Whether you answer yes or no, please elaborate on the nature of the encouragement / discouragement.

I grew up in a strange town where my mom and many
of my friends mom's were scientists. It was not until
I left this town for college that I encountered
someone who did not automatically expect
that I would become a scientist.

Since I was at the top of my class and had no doubts
that I would become a theoretical physicist, I always
assumed I had the support of my professors.

In general I'd say that the people I work with and
have worked with were rather gender blind,
although I think many subtle gender biases have hurt
my career. For instance, I've never been at a working
group meeting were a guy who interupted to make a point
was told not to interrupt, but this has happened to me
several times.

Again, it's the subtle things not the blatant things,
or the things you learn about years later like an
individual not having given you a glowing reference
when the indications were he should have - it's the
cummulative effect. Basically one has to be
a lot more confident without the "societal
expectation" that one will be sucessful, especially
when one encounters one of the remaining dinosaurs
who actively discriminate. I find it interesting
to note how a colleges reactions to me being a
professional woman vary based on their county of
origin - it reminds one how far the US has come, and
also how far it has to go.

Have your opportunities as a woman scientist changed over time? If so, was the change for better or worse?

I had a dinosaur as a group leader and just got tired
of fighting and started focusing on outreach.

How important were networks of women scientists during the various stages of your education and career (e.g. grammar school, high school, college, graduate school)?

In grad school and my current employment are the
the only two places I've really had access to
a network of women scientists. I'd say when it works
as a professional interaction it helps a lot, but
when it becomes focused on career problems it's almost
more depressing than helpful

What advice would you provide to young women considering a career in science?

Don't let anyone tell you what you can't do.
Assume you are the best.

Despite having a mother who is a physicist and that
my best friend's mom when I was a kid was a chemist,
in hindsight I don't think I really focused on female
role models - I wanted to be a theorist like my dad
rather than an experimentalist like my mom. One thing
I do notice in hindsight is that I always wondered why
the few women in my physics classes were taking physics
although I considered it "obvious" why I was taking
physics classes and never really thought about why the
guys in the class were taking physics.

In your experience, did it seem that the demand of raising a family, either by you or by colleagues, affect the type of work that you do?

I have not raised a family. As far as colleagues,
I've seen examples where this lead to the woman
basically giving up here career, but I've also seen
examples where the woman took a more managerial path
which led to her being the main wage earner. I've also
seen a few examples where the husband gave up his
professional career to be the home parent - although
still atypical, I think this is becoming more
acceptable. Although again in our society anything
that goes against the expected norm is that much harder
due to the subtle questioning and lack of expectation
of success.

Have you worked with a colleague or a limited amount of partners over a long time? How do you prefer to work, individually or as a team?

I prefer working individually as part of a focused
team, by which I mean I have an aspect that I am fully
responsible for but there is well defined set of people
interested in the answer and actively working on other
aspects of the general problem.

What is your highest level of education attained?

postdoc
86

Submitted August 9, 2002, 1:57 PM

Were you encouraged, as a girl, to pursue a career in the sciences or applied sciences? Whether you answer yes or no, please elaborate on the nature of the encouragement / discouragement.

No, definitely not. I was flat-out told that science was not for girls.

Yes, most professors were supportive but I did not have any female science professors to be a mentor.

I received very little assistance or encouragement from my dissertation advisor. He did not help me at all in choosing a career path or seeking employment.

I never had opportunities to work in the field of geology until I completed my PhD. Although I had many qualifications after completing my bachelor's and years later my master's, the jobs that came my way were always the usual "female" jobs like salesclerk, office clerk, etc.

After I completed my PhD, I sought a teaching position; again, I received no assistance from my dissertation advisor, so didn't have any luck in finding a faculty position. I realize now that I was looking at the wrong type of positions for me, and going about finding the right type of positions the wrong way. Had I received some guidance in graduate school, I believe I would have had better luck in finding a faculty position.

I now work for a small engineering company. I have been employed here for 5 years. It has its good points and its bad points. I continue to look at teaching positions, but I only consider those that I think would be a good fit for me.

I applied for an internship with the USGS when I was in graduate school. I was actually told that I had the position, then later found out that they had actually already decided to give it to a male graduate student who was a colleague of mine. He was a hiking buddy of one of the employees there and had the support of our mutual advisor, whereas I did not.

By the way, this same advisor told me the day I arrived on campus that he did not usually have much use for people like me. I was there on a particular kind of grant that he did not approve of, therefore he had already decided that he did not approve of me. It was a "no win" situation for me all the way. I believe that at least part of this was due to the fact that I am a woman.

Have your opportunities as a woman scientist changed over time? If so, was the change for better or worse?

I think opportunities are better now than they were when I first decided to major in geology. When I first applied at engineering/geology companies after my bachelor's and again after my master's, I wasn't even considered for positions. Frankly, I don't need a PhD to do the work that I do now, so having a PhD was not the reason that I finally got hired. I think times have changed enough that I finally got a professional position.

Unfortunately, this doesn't seem to carry over into academia. I am adjunct faculty at the college near where I work, but I seldom get the opportunity to teach. They have gone outside to hire males when they have needed one-semester or one-year sabbatical replacements instead of asking me. The department is all male except for one female lecturer who is treated like dirt by her male colleagues. Therefore I definitely believe my being female has a lot to do with the fact that they avoid having me teach if they can. When I do teach, I receive excellent student evaluations, so lack of teaching ability is certainly not the reason.

How important were networks of women scientists during the various stages of your education and career (e.g. grammar school, high school, college, graduate school)?

Of little or no importance as I simply was unaware of any such networks until joining AWG in recent years.

What advice would you provide to young women considering a career in science?

If you get an advisor like the one I had, run! Find someone who will help you complete your research, help you complete your degree, assist you with identifying your career goals and going for them.

No women scientists/engineers who were role models; simply no women in the department I was in. The one exception was a woman who held a lecturer position who was very encouraging to women in the graduate program.

Did not take classes on history of women in science/engineering - no such classes available.

Did not learn about accomplishments of women scientists/engineers.

I am a geologist, but had I known many years ago anything at all about engineering, I would have gone into that field. As it was, only boys went into engineering.

In your experience, did it seem that the demand of raising a family, either by you or by colleagues, affect the type of work that you do?

Definitely. The one female mentor that I had in graduate school only had a master's and was at the lecturer level. She was married with several children and had not had the opportunity to complete a PhD.

I am also married, and have not had the opportunities to take positions that require travel or extra time commitments - not because I have not expressed interest, but because it is assumed that because I am a woman, and married, my place is home.

Have you worked with a colleague or a limited amount of partners over a long time? How do you prefer to work, individually or as a team?

I am the only geologist at the firm I work for. I enjoy being my own boss much of the time, but I do miss interacting with other geologists and bouncing ideas off of them. So I guess I'd say I prefer to work individually but would like to able to interact with a 'loose' team.

What is your highest level of education attained?

phd
1996

Submitted August 16, 2002, 10:30 PM

Were you encouraged, as a girl, to pursue a career in the sciences or applied sciences? Whether you answer yes or no, please elaborate on the nature of the encouragement / discouragement.

Well, my experience started in High School when I joined a Computer Club and was told I would probably end up in Engineering by the President of our Computer Club. I kind of scoffed at that, because I didn't like Math. But eventually I did get deeper into Math because I continued on. Then I was supported very much by NASA Engineers to continue because of my interest and hard work.

At first in the University no, but then there was this Irish Professor who had an interest in me and challenged me but I think always hoped I would make it through the EE department. Then there was this other Professor that worked at NASA and taught at the University and when he found out my background, encouraged me very much to carry on until I finished. The only problem was I finished in 1986 which was the time of the Challenger Disaster.

Once I finished my Bachelors Degree, I couldn't join NASA as there was a freeze on from the Challenger Disaster and so I joined an Aerospace Company and looked at Reliability Engineering and Satellite Computers and Electronics. But that really didn't satisfy me. So I tried to go back to NASA after the freeze with the Aerospace Company as a contractor in Life Sciences but that wasn't it either. So I wound up leaving both NASA and the Aerospace Company and going to a Mainframe Company where my dreams came true working on Mainframes as a Test Engineer. That was until the Mainframe Company collapsed and I then wound up joining a startup Storage Management Company where I have been to this day helping out testing their software and helping customers when their problems.

I was very suprised to learn that NASA was among the most discriminatory agencies around in the 70's and 80's - that was suprising given that I felt very close to the agency to consider working for them full time.
But I really felt it as a Contractor with this Aerospace Company that I worked with. I was very disgusted with it.

Also I was suprised to find my own University had discrimination against Women Engineers and that I graduated in about 15% minority. I was let through only because of my persistence and stubborness to finish. Also, NASA kept nudging me on. I think there was some foresight there.

That has changed since, since more Women Engineers have gotten more involved and awareness has increased, the discrimination is not as much. It has helped alot. However, with the economy down, I think some of it has come back in some companies, which isn't good.

Have your opportunities as a woman scientist changed over time? If so, was the change for better or worse?

They have gotten better defnitely. They have gotten more complex so you have to keep up with the information and technology. Sometimes I think we have stepped on ourselves with computers and gotten too complex, giving ourselves more troubles then we should have. Remember when computers was supposed to help us live life better and work less? Have they? Maybe in some instances they have but for us who work in them, there still is a discrepency in educating the common person with them and using them for the help they are supposed to be giving us in all aspects in our lives.
This is why there are more opportunies for this.

How important were networks of women scientists during the various stages of your education and career (e.g. grammar school, high school, college, graduate school)?

Network of Women Scientists and Engineers are very important for information, support, knowledge and networking for further opportunies for advancement and growth. You need them all your life as long as you are in Science and Engineering.

What advice would you provide to young women considering a career in science?

Go for it. There are alot of opportunitities for your mind, talent and curiosity if that is what you are interested in. In every field from Medicine to Electronics to Oceanography, there are fantastic opportunities to discover and explore new fields like we have never had before. That includes space.

No, I didn't really encounter any Women Scientists or Engineers, my role models were NASA Engineers. They were very honorable and professional in their careers and inspired me alot.

No I didn't attend any history of women in Science and Engineering classes, but I read alot on the side and would read about the history of Women Engineers, Pilots and Scientists to keep me interested and understand about their accomplishments.

In your experience, did it seem that the demand of raising a family, either by you or by colleagues, affect the type of work that you do?

No, I have never been married, so I couldn't answer that. I almost got married after getting my degree but it didn't work out, but it had nothing to do with my being an Engineer.

With my work today, if I got married, it wouldn't effect the work that I do.

Have you worked with a colleague or a limited amount of partners over a long time? How do you prefer to work, individually or as a team?

Yes, I can work individually or with a team. It depends on the company and the type of structure they have. In a previous company, I worked with a partner and we got awards for a tool we did for mainframe computers.

Currently, I work individually sort of but because of the way the company structured I also work in a team with coworkers all over the world including the US and Canada.

What is your highest level of education attained?

College (bachelor's degree)

Submitted August 9, 2002, 1:53 PM

Were you encouraged, as a girl, to pursue a career in the sciences or applied sciences? Whether you answer yes or no, please elaborate on the nature of the encouragement / discouragement.

I am 53 and grew up in the 1950's and 60's. I was never
discouraged by my family from anything, but in high school,
science and math were not taught well. Nothing overt
was ever said, but boys got most of the attention.
I was an art major when I first started in college
(1966) and did not change to geology until I had to
take a physical science class as a requirement for
graduation. I took geology because it seemed the least
math-oriented. I liked it, so I took the second class
and was hooked. I stopped in 1974, then came back in
1990 to finish and finally got a BS in 1994. I am
currently working on a master's in GIS (Geographic
Information Systems).

Yes. Our geology department (Cal State Fullerton in
California) has always encouraged all students, no
matter what gender or age to follow their own path.
They are very supportive, even helping students who
were not in one of their classes.
I can not say the same for other departments.

I am not actually working as a scientist now. After I
got my BS, I worked in a water testing lab for low pay.
On my own, I got a GIS certificate and am now working
in that field. I test software, write help files, do
other computer related tasks. I would not call what I
do a carreer as such, it is a job. I hope to finish my
master's in GIS in about 1 1/2 years and then teach GIS
and geology.

I think perhaps I was not hired as a geologist when I
finished school partly because I was a woman, but also
because of age. No one ever said anything specific,
but they always gave the job to some one younger, mostly
males.

Have your opportunities as a woman scientist changed over time? If so, was the change for better or worse?

Yes. I would say there are more oportunities in a
wider variety of fields now than in the 1960's. Then
geologists (women or men) could pretty much only work
for an oil company or the government. Back then oil
companines did not hire women as geologists. You might
get a goverment position, but only if you were really
good.

How important were networks of women scientists during the various stages of your education and career (e.g. grammar school, high school, college, graduate school)?

not important at all. My story is not typical

What advice would you provide to young women considering a career in science?

If you want a career in geology - go for it, bearing in
mind that the first person that gets laid off when
times get tough is the geologist and companies seem to
play musical chairs with geologists. If you have a
bachelors only, you won't find much work. Join a local
geological society and attend the meetings regularly.
That is where you get to meet local employers and other
professionals in the field. Often jobs are spoken of
there that never appear in print.

Yes - the most memorable was Dr. Margaret Woyski who
got her doctorate at a time when women were not allowed
to take science classes. She was often not allowed to
sit with the men.
I never heard of any history of women in science classes.

In your experience, did it seem that the demand of raising a family, either by you or by colleagues, affect the type of work that you do?

Of course. Raising children is very demanding. I have
worked at a great many jobs over the years, all
affected to one degree or another by having a child. I
went to work when my son was 2 because we didn't have
enough to make the rent. I took classes at night to
better our options - accounting, etc. I finally decided
to go back and finish my degree and that was the best
decision I ever made - wish I had done it sooner.

Have you worked with a colleague or a limited amount of partners over a long time? How do you prefer to work, individually or as a team?

No. I can work fine either way. I have always worked in
small companies - seldom more than 10 to 15 employees.
In such companies, each person is usually required to
do a number of different things and work closely with
others

What is your highest level of education attained?

Some graduate school
2002

Submitted August 16, 2002, 9:39 AM

Were you encouraged, as a girl, to pursue a career in the sciences or applied sciences? Whether you answer yes or no, please elaborate on the nature of the encouragement / discouragement.

no, most of the girls I grew up with were encouraged to be lady like and to learn how to cook, clean, dress, etc.

Yes, encourgement from professors even when I was having a difficult time in some of the courses I took. I also received some from classmates which most were male.

I have worked as a Ecommerce Test Manager, Web Application Team Lead and senior software tester. No m work environment did not encourage me to pursue my career. Some of my managers encouraged me to take courses but for the most part I encouraged myself to further my skills and training by taking at least 1 course a year.

Yes, most of the companies I worked for had very few female top level executives and had very few middle management female executives and many females were treated differently by salary, promotions, job expectations, and level of respect. At my current job women were liked if they were seen and not heard. If you were intelligent and confident you were seen as aggressive, confrontational and not respecting authority and not respected.

Have your opportunities as a woman scientist changed over time? If so, was the change for better or worse?

My opportunities have gotten somewhat better be my salary is much less than that of my male counterparts and the level of respect for my male counterparts is much less towards me.

How important were networks of women scientists during the various stages of your education and career (e.g. grammar school, high school, college, graduate school)?

I was not aware of any networks of women engineers during my education and only became aware of them about 5 years ago.

What advice would you provide to young women considering a career in science?

Stay comitted to the sciences, there are several support groups and mentors that can help you with you academics and career choices. We need more women in this field to help break down the stereotype that women and inferior to men, that women cannot be intelligent in the sciences and succeed.

I only took one course with a woman who was much older than the rest of the students. I had only 2 female professors that taught computer classes. They did not offer any classes on the history of women in science. I did not learn about any accomplishments about women in science until I graduated college.

In your experience, did it seem that the demand of raising a family, either by you or by colleagues, affect the type of work that you do?

Have you worked with a colleague or a limited amount of partners over a long time? How do you prefer to work, individually or as a team?

I prefer to work individually

What is your highest level of education attained?

College (bachelor's degree)

Submitted September 11, 2002, 8:28 PM

Were you encouraged, as a girl, to pursue a career in the sciences or applied sciences? Whether you answer yes or no, please elaborate on the nature of the encouragement / discouragement.

My family was very encouraging, in part because my dad was an electrical engineer and my grandfather was a biochemist. My brothers and I even got a motorized erector set for Christmas one year -- the ultimate gift for a future engineer! I also had my own little collection of hand tools, starting from when I was 5 or 6 (so I wouldn't swipe my dad's). But my high school guidance counselor could never get past the teacher-or-nurse stereotyping for his "smart girls." He strongly recommended that I attend a women's liberal-arts college in NY, and when I asked him why, he said "That's where my girlfriend went and she liked it a lot. Th