Bias against women in science

"Women Face Bias in Scientific Careers" may sound like an old story (C&EN, Sept. 25, page 19). However, the recent report from the National Academies, "Beyond Bias and Barriers: Fulfilling the Potential of Women in Academic Science and Engineering," concludes that "academic organizational structures and rules" continue to hamper women in science and engineering.

This is certainly true in chemistry. As part of an ACS PROGRESS project funded by the National Science Foundation's ADVANCE program, we have visited chemistry departments at 35 highly ranked Ph.D.-granting universities, where we have interviewed administrators, faculty, postdocs, and graduate students.

All too often, especially in departments with just a few female faculty members, talented women faculty feel isolated, undervalued, and marginalized. But in other departments, thanks to conscious efforts on the part of administrations and department leaders, women thrive and succeed. In these departments, we find that everyone-men and women-report better advising, better support, and a better climate for success overall. Those departments that fail their women fail themselves and the chemistry discipline.

Sally Chapman
New York City