Management and Budget on the progress in achieving the purposes of this 

 Order. This report shall include any recommendations for changes in the 

 implementation or enforcement of the nondiscrimination provisions of the 

 laws covered by this Order." However, Justice officials told us that this 

 report has not been issued since 1998 because the reports were not an 

 effective mechanism to encourage agency compUance with regulations. 



Women's Participation 

 in the Sciences Has 

 Increased 

 Substantially since 

 the Early 1960s, but 

 Their Representation 

 in Mathematics and 

 Engineering 

 Continues to Be Low 



Women's participation in the sciences has increased substantially in the 

 last three decades, especially in the life sciences, such as biology. The 

 proportion of women science students has grown, but to a lesser extent at 

 the graduate level than the undergraduate level. Meanwhile, the proportion 

 of faculty in the sciences who are women has also increased since the 

 early 1970s. However, women stUl lag behind their male counterpeirts in 

 terms of salary and rank, and much of their gain in numbers has been in 

 the life sciences, as opposed to mathematics and engineering. A variety of 

 studies indicate that experience, work patterns, and education levels can 

 largely explain differences in salaries and rank. Studies also suggest that 

 discrimination may stiU affect women's choices and professional progress. 



Women's Participation in 

 the Sciences Has Increased 

 Substantially in the Last 

 Three Decades 



Although women's participation in the sciences has improved steadily over 

 the last three decades, men still outnumber women in nearly every field in 

 the sciences. In 1960, women made up less than 3 percent of all scientists, 

 but by 2003 women constituted nearly 20 percent of all scientists.' 

 Although the number of women increased in every field of science, the 

 participation of women in scientific occupations varied by field, with 

 women having the largest percentage gains in science and the smallest 

 percentage gains in mathematics. In 1960 women constituted less than 

 1 percent of engineers, 8 percent of scientists, and 26 percent of 

 mathematicians. By 2003 women made up 14 percent of engineers, 

 37 percent of scientists, and 33 percent of mathematicians. 



Data on women in faculty positions at 2 and 4-year colleges and 

 universities in 1999 indicate that women's participation differs based on 

 when they earned their PhD. Specifically, NSF data reveal that 11 percent 

 of faculty at a 2 or 4-year college in 1999 who received their PhD in the 



'Bureau of Labor Statistics. 



Page 14 



GAO-04-639 Gender Issues 



