Surviving and changing the field: Navigating gendered contextual barriers of geosciences

What does it take for a woman to thrive in an occupation that takes her to some of the most remote, rugged, and unforgiving locations on Earth? How do women geoscientists defy gendered barriers to succeed in an occupational context that requires both technical expertise and physical endurance? Using a social constructionist perspective, we examine the interplay of gendered barriers resulting from the physical and social context of such work, and women’s strategies to overcome them. We analyzed 67 semi-structured interviews with men and women geoscientists and, through the lens of context theorizing, uncovered a configuration of gendered barriers, both physical and social, the strategies employed by women to navigate those barriers, and the impact of organizational practices that perpetuate or address the gendered barriers. Women’s survival strategies to adapt to the context and organizational practices that supported adaptation often reinforced gendered barriers. Women’s change strategies and organizational practices that directly addressed the barriers were more effective.