Why is it such a struggle for women to get to the top in healthcare science? There is no simple answer, of course, and the reasons are multifactorial. Here, Valerie Bevan considers the issues and outlines her experiences.
I first began to be academically interested in the issue of gender inequality in science when I started my PhD at Lancaster University in 2005. When I first contemplated doing a PhD, I thought I was going to research the commitment of scientists and what makes scientists work such long hours in their all-encompassing careers. However, as I studied and learned more, I was able to interpret the science world about me differently, and began to analyse the inequalities.
Science is not unique in being the only profession where women are marginalised – women in academia, law, accountancy, medicine and the church all experience similar issues. And it is not just women who find it difficult to reach the top grades; ethnic minorities also find progression in science arduous. But it was the position of women that I became interested in and at some point I realised that I was part of the group I was researching.
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