WIDENING PATHS TO SUCCESS, IMPROVING THE ENVIRONMENT, AND MOVING TOWARD LESSONS LEARNED FROM THE EXPERIENCES OF POWRE AND CBL AWARDEES

摘要

To better understand the barriers and discouragements encountered by female faculty members in science and engineering, this article compares the experience of National Science Foundation-funded Professional Opportunities for Women in Research and Education (POWRE) awardees and Clare Boothe Luce (CBL) Professorship recipients. Because most POWRE awardees work at research institutions, and many CBL professors teach at small liberal arts colleges, this study helps in understanding the experiences of female faculty members across a broad spectrum of academic settings. Their experiences suggest positive changes in institutional policies or practices to increase the satisfaction, retention, and success of female faculty members infields in which they are the least well represented. The retention of female faculty members becomes critical for attracting undergraduate students as they consider the wisdom of choosing careers in academia.