Gender Issues Indian Academia Rohini M Godbole Indian
Gender Issues: Indian Academia Rohini M. Godbole Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India Leadership for Academicians Program, Kolkata, February 15, 2019
Introductory remarks Why is there a need for mainstreaming gender? I want to give my own take on it and then present the Indian story. Follow it up with a few comments on what are measures of gender equity, how to define goals and how to achieve them in the Indian Context. The issue of diversity (particularly Wi. S) has many facets, but there are common features which cut across cultures. Hence a cross-cultural discussion can only help.
Gender and Indian Academia Restrict myself to Academia. This means I will not cover STEM women working in Industry, health sector or for example agricultural sector. For that matter Engineers working in Institutions running mission mode projects like e. g. the case of Indian Space Research Organisation also not quite covered Even in Academia the subject has many facets. I will not discuss much about gender issues in Humanities for example. I will restrict myself to Gender Issues in Science.
Gender and Indian Academia Discussions of diversity take a completely new meaning in the Indian context. Even when I try to specialise myself so much and talk only of Science (education & research), different regions in India will tell you different stories. I will try to give you some flavour of some of these differences.
Reasons for the dialogue? Diversity (racial, gender, geographic) among practioners of science is small across all sciences. Is that necessarily bad? Yes. it is certainly not the optimal use of humanity's intellectual potential. Diversity can only be good for science, as for any creative activity. (If people want can be discussed later) Changing economic realities mean, at least in India, that the number of women participating in science is going to increase even more. Important to discuss what efforts will make this more efficient and more effective!
Why the issue needs to be discussed? One way to begin the discussion: Do we know that diversity adds to excellence in science? Why should this be an issue at all? Clear reason: diversity in Science really small People ask: is it necessarily bad? To discuss this further useful to see some myths/biases and opinions.
Some comments, myths and biases. Tim Hunt (Nobel Prize winner 2011: Physiology and Medicine) (Interview in 2015) “Let me tell you about my trouble with girls … three things happen when they are in the lab … You fall in love with them, they fall in love with you and when you criticise them, they cry. ” Harvard President: Larry Summers “Women lack capabilty in Mathematical and Physical Sciences”
Gender diversity necessary? U. S. Supreme Court Chief Justice Roberts (2015) “What unique perspective does a minority student bring to a physics class? ” A somewhat rheotrical question asked by him not so much to say that a minority student should not be admitted but more while discussing university's argument for ' affirmative' action in giving preference to students to increase diversity in class.
Gender diversity necessary for society? Willmien Kets and Sandroni : (October 2015) Diverse groups are less conformist and more willing to go against the status quo if that leads to better outcomes. Whether a physics graduate goes on to work at a tech company, becomes a scientist, or ends up as a manager, it will be critical for her success as well as her employer’s whether she is an original thinker. The url is: fortune. com/2015/12/16/affirmative-action-u-s-supremecourt-diversity
My credentials to talk on the subject? . Credentials to talk about Gender in academia (other than obvious one ) 1)Founder chair of Wi. S panel of the Indian Academy of Sciences (IASc) 2) Involved in bringing out Indian National Science Academy (INSA) report on 'Science Career for Women in India ' in 2004. This was first such official report.
3) Chair of the Wi. S panel of the Indian National Science Academy and Member Joint Panel of all the three academies for 'Women in Science’. 4) Was member also of a similar group for AASSA Association of Academies and Science Societies of Asia 5)Member, Standing Committee of the Government of India for Women in Science.
Some research/publications related to Women in Science: 6) Co-author of survey-report: 'Trained Scientific Woman Power: what fraction are we losing and why? ’ 7) Editor of two books to motivate young girls and women to do science. Example of some International Connections: 8) International career motives, repatriation and career success of Indian women in Science & Technology (Journal of Global Mobility, 2014). Reimara Valk and Mandy Van der Velde Utrecht School of Governance, Utrecht University, Marloes Van Engen , Department of Human Resource Studies, Tilburg University, and Rohini Godbole, IISc.
Survey report is available from the web page of the Wi. S Panel: http: //www. ias. ac. in/womeninscience/surveyre port_web. pdf Trained Scientific Woman Power: How much are we losing and Why? A joint project between natural scientists and social
References Association of Academies and India Report prepared by Societies of Sciences in Asia: Rohini Godbole and R. AASSA report Ramaswamy
: Sources for Numbers: 1) A report brought out by the Indian National Science Academy (INSA) (Mehtab Bamji, Rohini Godbole, Vinita Bal) The report led to formation of a DST task force for women in Science. 2)The DST Task Force report, Ed: M. Bamji. This led to the formation of Standing committee on Wi. S which has started functioning now.
3) A very recent survey of the Govt. of India. This survey contains a lot of information on the aspects of gender in participation in higher education. Will use some info from here This is how it should be. Gender should be a subtext of all our surveys and analysis
: Inate abilities? Indian story? : At least in academia women are not perceived as being incapable of intellectual attainment in mathematics or science (many university prize winners in science are women). We dont seem to have our Larry Summers But we still dont seem to be exactly inundated with women doing science!
First Current Status! The presence of women students in Schools and Colleges high and their level of achievement high However participation of Women in Research in Science is low, presence in high positions in academics low as well Serious leakages in the pipeline from college to university to scientific careers
Higher Education in India: 2000 -2001 1/3 students in science women! Increasing! Drop off not after M. Sc. The leaking pot is not here! Even at Ph. D. level # in science not too small artslater and. More data in the back up slides. We can lookwrt at that
Higher education: more recent
Distribution among states and categories 54% participation from 6 states, gender distribution more or less the same in all these states. Same is true for gender distribution among
However Numbers decrease with level of Institution. For example IIT's, IISER's, IISc: fraction of women students lower than Universities. Numbers start falling rapidly AFTER Ph. D. Same is true for faculty at prestigious universities and institutions!
Percentage of Women Sicentists The number of women in different organisations.
Percentage of Women in faculty In state universities percentages of women much higher, across all disciplines! But the share of these institutions in research?
An obvious conclusion In India the participation of women in studying science or for that matter in teaching science, at all levels, is NOT LOW AT ALL. However, number of women doing science is certainly NOT commensurate with their participation in the other two aspects of scientific activity. Further it is even less when one considers decision making positions in this context.
Indian scenario The presence of women students in Schools and Colleges high and their level of achievement high However participation of Women in Research in Science is low, presence in high positions in academics, representations in science academies (about 5 -10%) , fraction in prestigious awards are low (like 2 %) too. Only one woman academy president in 75 year history of three academies Many of the major science institutions have NEVER had a woman director! Situation
Indian scenario Serious leakages in the pipeline from college (40%) to university(30%) to Ph. D. (25%) s to successful scientific careers (10%). So in India the need seems to stop this precipitious drop after Ph. D. With the increased spending on Science as advocated and envisaged by almost everybody, one of the issues is Human Resource Development. We can not afford to then not to deploy this trained human resource. So in the case of women scientists the problem is DEPLOYMENT of TRAINED Human resource as much as its DEVELOPMENT.
Some things are better But some things are better than other countries First women elected to the Royal Society (1660): Kathleen Lonsdale and Marjory Stephenson in 1945. In 1979, Yvonne Choquet-Bruhat was the first woman elected to the French Academy of Sciences (1666). Florence Sabin (1871 -1953), elected in 1925, was the first woman member of the NAS (1863) Whereas Janaki Ammal was a Founding Fellow of the Indian Academy of Sciences in 1934. She was the first director of Geological Survey of Independent India. ! But first woman fellow in Physics division was elected in 1975 for one academy and 1992 in the other!
Two pronged action There is a two pronged course of action: 1] Societal, Mind set etc. 2] Policy
Actions One must create the means to facilitate negotiation of a science career. Awareness that it is not impossible to maintain a career/family balance needs to spread to parents, the family and colleagues so that this is an acceptable option. Sensitize the parents and co students alike! Address gender imbalance from an early age: include proactively young girls in programs like Science Olympiads or INSPIRE (a recent initiative of the Department of Science and Technology). Offer financial independence through fellowships.
Enablers Started in 2003 -2004.
The effect? Effect of special schemes started in 2001 by the department of science and technology, DST. But these are basically soft money positions.
Department of Biotechnology: DBT Many enablers, schemes mostly to encourage young women to come back after a break. Special schemes oriented towards biotechnology.
The Indian Academy of Sciences constituted a "Women in Science" panel to examine these questions in the Indian context. The Indian National Science Academy had parallel effort, as did the Department of Science and Technology, with different emphases.
All the three academies have come together and have formed a common panel for women in science. Idea is to come up with ideas and suggestions for policy planning
Things academicians can do Initiatives: 1) Role Model programm: Brought out book of (auto) biographical sketches of about 100 women Scientists: a) Lilavati's Daughters: Women Scientists of India b) DST brought out a book called “The Balancing Act'' 2) Holding a series of workshops for career in science!
We felt that rather than look either to world history or to our own history for scientific heroines for inspiration, it was necessary to tell the story as it is now! Started in 2006 and published in 2008. Reprinted 5 times What does it take to be a woman scientist in India TODAY? We invited about 200 women of achievement, and profiled about 100 of them. All from our modern history. Similar to 'she speaks' program of Royal Society
The book is available from Indian Academy. DST supported distribution of this book to schools and colleges, Translations in some local languages.
Common Themes Parental (and in-law) support. Strong role models in schools and colleges, usually female. Help during early career, especially for raising children. Mentors, senior colleagues. Chance. These observations can then direct possible actions for retention and the aim is to remove Chance from the list!
Anandibai Joshee (1865 -1887) Anandibai Joshee, the first Hindu woman to obtain a medical degree in the US at the University of Pennsylvania. Her thesis was on Obstetrics as she lost her child at birth at the age of 14! Learnt alphabets (marathi) at the age of 12! went to the USA at 17/18. She died in Poona back in India, at the age of 22.
D Sc (1931, Michigan), Founder Fellow of the Indian Academy of Sciences. First DG of Indian Zoological Survey, Civilian honour: Padmashri. Renowned botanist and plant cytologist who made significant contributions to genetics, evolution, phytogeography and ethnobotany. Remained single by choice!
R. J. Hans Gill, Ph. D. 1965 FTWAS, FNASc, FASc R. J. Hans Gill in School. She dressed as a boy so she could go to a school where they taught mathematics!
Mentorship programs of the Wi. S A book for girls : contains a small description of the Science done by women whose stories are in the book. They also discuss future challenges in their area. Stories of 25 women.
Mentorship programs of the Wi. S This book has been published along with a non academic publisher and there are difft. versions of such small books that are being brought about in different regions and different languages.
A regional program: rural area Karnataka Govt. has launched a program called 'Chetana' for young girls from rural areas. A cohort of about 280 was chosen and are being mentored for two years. SAMSUNG and INFOSYS Supported part of it finiancially IISc hosted a group for ten days exposing them to STEMM subjects and widened their horizons. Given India's rural population more these kind of efforts need to be widened.
Fraction of girl students in the Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT) is small. It has special entrance exams and special preparatory coaching classes! Govt. has created additional student positions as well as a month long sensitization programs are held where women students spend a month at different IIT’s At the same time in Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research which do not have a special entrance examination the fraction of girl students is higher than in IIT’s without any special measure! All this gives food for thought.
Loss of trained scientific women power This problem is really serious. Survey report ready and available at the Wi. S web page. Only 3% of those who have dropped out, said they dropped out due to family responsibilites. 66% said they did not find jobs commensurate with their expertise! Transparency in jobs, women friendly practices such as creche and on campus housing can go a long way
Policy changes are happening Major policy changes are being initiated. But most are limited to providing re-entry possibilities or follow the spouse ( so to say ) and still continue engagement in science 'after a fashion'. This is really not enough. It presupposes that the responsibility of navigating family and career is to be shouldered by woman alone! This needs to change
Summary: simple and immediate Simple things to implement (included in our recommendations) 1) A good creche on every campus (has happened) 2)High priority to young couples for on campus housing (beginning to be taken seriously) 3)Proactive hiring policies for helping couples manage dual careers. (This needs more work) 4)Encourage and reward excellence shown by women (some schemes exist). 5)Improve work climate: including harassment issues. The last has now started receiving attention.
Serious and long term Gender Audit: All Institutes must give on the web page information on fraction/distribution of women in faculty, students etc. Should be required to set up graduated goals after determining their feasibility. The goals need to be specific to sectors and discipline
Two points 1) Lack of numerical representation is a symptom and achieving numerical targets does not mean problems are solved! Achieving the goals will be necessary but NOT sufficient. 2) The Goals need to be specific to sectors and Discipline.
Policy changes are happening Necessary to think of mechanisms which change this mind set and allow to navigate this early period wihtout having to take a break if women so wish! Important to introduce 'gender neutral' interventions! Necessary to continue analysis of the situation to identify crucial policy changes. Involve women in Science in making these policies! Some changes need to be mandated by govt. but in some cases the institutions have to come out to charter new paths! Happening but not enough!
Level playing field at all levels! A personal remark: By and large need to provide level playing field for women and the rest will take care of itself! Very little of that level playing fields comes from Policy changes!
Level playing field at all levels! Bewarte: excellence always works is a little bit of a myth! CNRS study: performance index for women almost 1. 5 to 2 higher! There is a swedish atudy published in Nature which proves the same! 'Epistemic Injustice' : Miranda Fricker. An awareness of this in the community is needed!
Conclusions are therefore clear: Measures need to be taken at all levels A) Change the mind set B) Change the policies C) Special schemes to support young scientists and mentoring young women ! One important policy is Gender Audit! Something like Athena-Swann program will be good! It would need to be tailored to India. Some of us are trying that.
Summary First medical graduate: Anandibai Joshi (1885) After 125 years women are equal participants in medical education, research and practice For other areas we should not have to wait for another 125 years. Learn from there. Important to collect statistics of women in science sector wise and analyse.
In the words of my colleague Prof. R, Ramaswamy, President Indian Academy of Sciences: A real commitment to gender sensibilities is needed, and not just a patronizing attitude that facilitates women’s careers
What is my take on future vision?
Last word
Thank you
Subject and gender distribution of fellowship IASc, Bangalore (January 2012): Subject Women Men Percentage Total Medical Math Physics Chemistry Plant and Animal Sciences 68 18 6 7 2 31 1002 60 78 187 161 200 6. 8% 23% 7% 3% 1% 15%
Subject and gender distribution of fellowship TWAS, Trieste (January 2012): Subject Women Men Percent Total Medical Math Physics Chemistry Biological Sciences 6 16 11 10 11 21 83 112 108 340 108 225 6. 8% 11. 3% 9% < 1% 11% 8%
Bhatnagar Awardees (January 2012) Subject Women Men Percentage Total 14 416 Division among disciplines of 14 Medical Math Physics Chemistry Eng. Biology 4 2 0 2 2 2
Bhatnagar Awardees (March 2015) Subject Women Men Percentage Total 15 446 Division among disciplines of 15 Medical 4 Math 2 Physics 0 Chemistry 3 Eng. 2 Biology 3 Earth Science 1
WNR : reasons for break Note child care/elder care is a reason only in 50% cases
WNW : perceptions Note nonavailability of jobs as a big factor too in addition
WIR : measures for improvement Overlaps with measures suggested by other surveys! For WNW distribution among difft. measures difft. One size does not fit all! Need to talk to all of them!
College Education: women participation 35. 3% of university science students are women; number has been increasing. The percentage in science (but not engineering) is comparable to the overall percentage.
Lack of diversity and loss of science? Clearly it is silly to say that lack of gender balance has impeded devleopment of excellent science. Question is can we point out something where the lack of opprtunities for women clearly caused science to lose something. In other words achieving gender equity will aovid such losses
Sophie Germain (1776 -1831) Self taught. Had to fight against the family and society. It was not proper for a 'middle' class girl to study mathematics and science! Lack of formal training! Women not allowed in Ecole Polytechnique Used a pen name of a friend to communicate with Lagrange, Gauss. Important work on theory of elasticity and fermat's last theorem First woman to win a prize from French Academy The family took away her candles so that she should not study at night!
Marie Curie (1867 -1934) Marie Curie: Life is not very easy for any of us. But what of that? We must have perseverance and above all confidence in oursleves. We must believe that we are gifted for something and that must be attained! Scientist par exellence: man or woman!
So what do we learn? Study of stories of women like Marie Curie, Emmy Noether, : All supremely confident of their science and also enjoyed their science. Mentor support was essential. Attitude of the community is not always helpful for women to conduct a career in science. More sociological than academic. Academia will normally bow to supreme achievements. None the less sociological biases leads to illogical obstacles. Imaginable that this can be a major cause in other cases. Even if academic achievements were appreciated, here seems to be a bias in recognition and awards coming women's way!
- Slides: 74