Women and Scientific Employment

Current Perspectives form the UK

Abstract

In the first section of this paper I present a brief picture, using available data, of the current situation of UK women in scientific education and employment. I then discuss the need for new data and describe some of the initiatives which have been taking place, primarily at the European level, to redress this issue. In the third section, having listed the various arguments which can be found in the literature about why the ‘women and science’ issue matters, I focus particularly on a new development in European Commission thinking: the link with the ‘science and society’ perspective. Finally, I offer some thoughts about the limitations of gathering quantitative data only, arguing that qualitative research into the institutions of science is also required if we are to understand more about the cultural aspects of science that appear to be persistently alienating for girls and women.