Surveying women in physics

There can be no doubt that children and childcare take a toll on careers, especially for women. But in a survey of 1350 female physicists from 70 countries, respondents said the main problem is that women in physics continue to face discrimination and negative attitudes from their colleagues and institutions. The survey was conducted by the American Institute of Physics in conjunction with last year’s Second International Conference on Women in Physics (see Physics Today, August 2005, page 29 ).

Around the world, women remain underrepresented in physics; in most countries, they earn less than 20% of physics PhDs. The survey found that, compared with their counterparts in developed countries, women physicists in developing countries marry and have children younger; have less access to funding, office space, equipment, and other resources; and get more experience working overseas.

Some 78% of respondents rated their relationships with their graduate advisers as either excellent or good, although 8% reported a poor relationship.

Despite 71% of respondents saying they were discouraged by physics, fully 86% said they would choose the field again if they had it to do over.

The report, Women Physicists Speak Again, is available online at http://www.aip.org/statistics/trends/gendertrends.html . Single copies may be obtained free of charge from AIP, Statistical Research Center, One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740; e-mail stats@aip.org .