Debbie's Topic Proposal

The first thing that struck me as an undergraduate in biology was how many females science majors there were. I have been told time and time again that females are discouraged and discriminated against in the field of science. As undergraduates I believe that women do as well as there male counterparts in science. At Santa Clara University from my perspective about half or more of the biology majors are female. According to other studies women are discouraged from science and math at an early age. Some believe this inequality is caused by sexual discrimination and culture that forces women to decide upon other majors such as the humanities. Others believe that the reason women don’t do as well in science as men, is because of actual genetic differences. This was said recently by Lawrence Summer, president of Harvard University. Still others believe that women are not as successful in science as men because between the ages of 25-35 when men are building a successful career many women are having children. Many also argue that women are discriminated against and discouraged in the workforce from tenure positions because of pure sexism.

For women like me, who are striving for success in the field of science the possibility of discrimination is an important concern. If women are truly genetically disadvantaged in science does that mean that women should concentrate on subjects more focused in the humanities? Yet at the same time if women are not at a genetic disadvantage, and outperform men in universities in science then why are women less successful after university when it comes to obtaining tenured positions and getting grants for research? One genetic difference that definitely might hold many women back from the ages of 25 to 35 is that many of them are pressured to or want to have children. Though, it seems like women are punished in the scientific field, as if it is a weakness that they want children.

Most parties share a common interest in the drive to find out the reason why women are not as successful in science. The issue of women in science is very important today, because there are so many women in science, who are relatively successful, and do not want to face discrimination after university, or find that they are just not innately capable of the work required for positions of tenure and grants for research.

This essay would explore the many different perspectives on women in science, and why women are at a disadvantage in science starting from a young age all the way up to their entrance into the workforce. I could interview some of the female biology teachers at Santa Clara University to explore if they have felt any discrimination throughout their careers. I might also try to discover the ratio of male to female students at Santa Clara University in the sciences. This essay will also demonstrate that at the university level from my perspective women are just as successful and face very little discrimination in science at least at Santa Clara University. It is my belief that it is the culture after university in the academic world, and the pressure on women to have babies that is the biggest issue.