Do Senior Female Scientists Fall in the Chasm between Early Career and Lifetime Achievement Awards?

Abstract: Despite decades of research and intervention strategies, the representation of women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematic (STEM) fields continues to be woefully low, especially at senior levels such as the full professor (or equivalent) rank. For a scientist, receiving an award/fellowship/grant provides external recognition of one’s scientific ability, in addition to potentially providing funds to sustain the scientist’s research program. Many current awards/fellowships/grants target early career scientists, thereby excluding female scientists at critical stages of their careers. As female scientists progress through the academic ranks and achieve the post-tenure ranks of associate and full professor, they face increasing isolation, ostracization, and discrimination at their scientific institution. Such treatment by academic institutions pushes out many female scientists, shortening their scientific careers and their contributions to science. In this paper, I posit that accessibility to awards/scholarships/grants beyond the early career stages may be one key way to retain senior female scientists. If senior female scientists are retained in STEM, successful subsequent recruitment may follow.