White Women 



Background. 



White women comprise only 10 

 percent of all employed scientists 

 and engineers, although they 

 account for 43 percent of the U.S. 

 population. In 1987 white women 

 earned 22 percent of all bachelors' 

 degrees and only 13 percent of the 

 Ph.D.s in science and engineering. 

 At the undergraduate level they 

 are twice as likely to be in the life 

 sciences as in engineering, and at 

 the graduate level they are eight 

 times more likely to be in life 

 sciences than in engineering. 

 Despite gains, women are not 

 choosing careers in science and 

 engineering in the same propor- 

 tions as in other professional 

 areas. Women who do enter sci- 

 ence and engineering tend to be 

 paid less and promoted less than 

 white men. 



The Pipeline. 



Young women must be encour- 

 aged to pursue science and engi- 

 neering studies at every point 

 along the education pipeline, 

 especially because negative atti- 

 tudes toward women in these 

 careers are prevalent. Re-entry 

 programs are important to tap the 

 large number of women who have 

 been deflected from science and 

 engineering study in their earlier 

 educational experiences. Special 

 efforts should be focused on sup- 

 port to complete graduate training 

 and to achieve tenured faculty 

 positions. Policies which assist 

 women in balancing career and 

 family responsibilities are essen- 

 tial. Obviously, all of these factors 

 also pertain to minority and dis- 

 abled women. 



' b- 



5000 Students 



(•" = 100 Students 



28 



