In looking for information about the 2013 American Geophysical Union meeting in San Francisco that my students and I attend each year, I ran across this photo of the 2012 Honors Ceremony to recognize scientists that have made significant contributions to the earth sciences:
I count about 23 medals hanging around necks in the first two rows of seats, and there is exactly one woman. (Did the photographer put her in the front row to make sure we see her?) I think this is appalling.
The reasons for such a small percentage of women being recognized for their contributions to earth science probably reflect in part why the numbers of women in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) disciplines steadily decreases from the students graduate from university through the rank of full professor and beyond:
I don't want to re-hash the various arguments about why women don't stay in STEM fields in academia - they range from "old boys club" sexism in hiring and a hostile work environment to wanting to have kids while trying to earn tenure to wanting higher salaries for less work required outside academia to a lack of support from their spouses at home to dual career couples who can't make it work - but rather to point out that whatever the reason(s), women remain underrepresented in STEM fields and that needs to be corrected.
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