The Committee on Women in Science, Engineering, and Medicine (CWSEM) is a standing committee of the National Research Council (NRC). Its mandate is to coordinate, monitor, and advocate action to increase the participation of women in science, engineering, and medicine. Established in 1990 as CWSE, the committee expanded its scope in 2007 to include medicine.
Learn more about the Committee on Women in Science, Engineering, and Medicine.
CWSEM HIGHLIGHTS
Upcoming CWSEM Conference Seeking Solutions: Maximizing American Talents by Advancing Women of Color in Academia - June 2012
CWSEM is hosting a conference Seeking Solutions: Maximizing American Talent by Advancing Women of Color in Academia on June 7-8, 2012 in Washington, DC. This public conference will examine why the number of women pursuing higher education in science, engineering and medicine has grown, yet the number of women of color faculty in all institutions of higher education is still relatively small. The changing demographics in our country and increasing international competition underscore the need for a more diverse STEM workforce to ensure the country maintains its scientific vitality, economic prosperity, and national security. The conference will address the importance of this issue and will include panel discussions on statistics, individual and institutional experiences that reflect minority women’s career pathways as well as barriers and challenges that minority women face in academia. Effective programs and practices will be highlighted to shed light on future actions that will help advance institutional transformations. For more information, please visit the conference website. Conference Agenda | Conference Registration | Get Involved
NAE Workshop Creating a Game-Changing Environment for All in the Industrial Workforce - May 2012
The Workshop Creating a Game-Changing Environment for All in the Industrial Workforce will review the existing data and exemplary policies and programs designed to enhance the status and participation of women and underrepresented minorities in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines with a focus on industrial careers. This is an event for the National Academy of Engineering's project that is focused on the status of women and underrepresented minorities in scientific and engineering industries. The workshop will be held on May 21 at the National Academies' Keck Center. Workshop Agenda | Workshop Registration
Federal Demonstration Partnership's Task Force on Parental and Family Leave for Research Trainees Releases Report A Forgotten Class of Scientists - March, 2012
The report A Forgotten Class of Scientists: Examining the Parental and Family Benefits Available to Research Trainee was prepared by the Federal Demonstration Partnership’s Task Force on Parental and Family Leave for Research Trainees. The report, which was released in March 2012, describes finds from FDP member institution representatives and data from prior reports to provide a consolidated summary of recommendations for the equitable treatment of postdoctoral researchers and employees with regard to parental and family leave. The recommendations include calls for (1) collaboration and partnerships; (2) further research into existing and efficacious programs and their costs; (3) policy reform, including a minimum baseline for all research trainees; (4) institutional climate change and support; and (5) increased outreach and dissemination of clear policies at academic institutions and federal agencies. Catherine Didion, director of CWSEM, participated as a member in the Task Force which was charged with: (1) providing information that enables federal agencies and universities to remove barriers for young people to become the next generation of scientific researchers; and (2) providing information that can increase clarity and streamline processes for university administrators and federal agencies associated with parental and family leave for research trainees. Download Executive Summary | Download Full Report
Asian Women in STEM Careers: An Invisible Minority in a Double Bind - September, 2011
The paper Asian Women in STEM Careers: An Invisible Minority in a Double Bind, co-authored by Lilian Wu, Chair (Emeritus) of CWSEM and Wei Jing, Research Associate of the Policy and Global Affairs at the National Academies, examines Asian female scientists and engineers' participation and advancement in STEM careers. The data presented in the paper point to the existence of a double bind for Asian women, facing both a bamboo ceiling because of Asian stereotyping and a glass ceiling because of implicit gender bias. The scarcity of Asian women in upper management and leadership positions merits greater attention, more targeted programmatic efforts, and inclusion in the national discussion of the STEM workforce. This paper was published on Issues in Science and Technology, Fall 2011, Vol 28, Issue 1. Read the paper online | Download PDF of the paper
The White House and National Science Foundation Announce New Workplace Flexibility Policies - September, 2011
On September 26, 2011 the White House and National Science Foundation (NSF) announced the “NSF Career – Life Balance Initiative”, which is a 10-year plan to enhance flexibility for men and women in research careers. View the full press release. These policies include, but are not limited to: delayed starts of NSF funded projects for family-related reasons, extensions of research grant timelines for child birth interruptions, and funding for technicians to perform research in cases of parental leave. These NSF initiatives reinforce efforts by the White House under President Obama to engage government agencies, universities, and industry to institute polices that create greater flexibility in the workplace that lead to optimal work-life balances for both men and women. Additionally, these policies further reflect discussions from the November 2010 Roundtable of Representatives from Federal Agencies and Professional Societies, where CWSEM engaged representatives from relevant stakeholder organizations, including NSF, to address the needs of postdoctoral and early career researchers. View the Meeting Recap.
U.S. State Department Meeting: Changing Mindsets to Promote Women and Girls in Science - June, 2011
June 13, 2011 a symposium “Changing Mindsets to Promote Women and Girls in Science” gathered more than 100 scientists, engineers, educators and representatives from the private sector and foreign governments at the U.S. State Department. The symposium examined programs and policies that are making positive impact on attracting girls to STEM fields, keeping them interested in STEM through college, and providing concrete tools for women to maintain them at every level of their scientific careers. Institutional transformation and practices that help shape perceptions about women, girls and STEM were also discussed at the meeting.CWSEM successfully brought 15 women scientists and engineers from Africa and the Middle East to participate in the symposium and was delighted to be one of the partners supporting this event.
