A Physics Carrier for Women in Portugal

7/30/2019 A Physics Carrier for Women in Portugal

1/20

A Physics Carreer for Women in

Portugal

Ana Maria EirUniversity of Lisbon

Bad- Honnef, 28 March 2003


2/20

Some numbers

Three different eras

How are numbers changing

Understanding the situation

Final considerations


3/20

A recent study (1) shows that among European countries, Portugal has the highest

percentage of women researchers in state laboratories, 58% in natural sciences

and 38% in engineering and technologies, and also in higher education wherethose % are 48% and 29% respectively

Some numbers

Researchers in higher education in Europe (1990)[Source: European Comission, Eurostat]

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Portu

gal

Irelan

d UK Italy

Finla

nd

Swed

en

Fran

ce

Denm

ark

Austr

ia

Germ

any

Belgi

um

heNed

erla

nds

%o

fFemale

Natural Sciences

Engineering & Technology

NaturalSciences

Engineering and

Technology

State Laboratories 58% 38%

Universities 48% 29%


4/20

In the public universities

there are about 27% of

women in each different

category.

Contrary to other fields

in physics women have

similar representations

at all levels. 25% of thephysics researchers are

women.

Physics Departments of Public Universities

University Full Professor Associated Prof. Assistant Prof. All Cathegorieswomen total % omen total % women total women total %

U. Algarve 1 1 100 1 4 25 3 11 27 6 21 29U. Aveiro 4 7 57 3 12 25 3 22 14 13 54 24

UBI 0 0 0 5 0 1 7 14 6 34 18U Coimbra 4 9 44 2 10 20 12 34 35 24 71 34U vora 0 3 0 1 8 13 2 8 25 6 30 20U Lisboa 2 10 2 6 12 50 12 40 30 21 62 34U Minho 1 5 20 4 7 33 4 21 19 17 56 30UNL 1 3 33 2 6 33 3 12 25 10 34 29U Porto 1 8 13 3 8 38 7 19 37 11 35 31UTAD 0 0 1 3 33 0 3 0 4 24 17UTL 0 9 0 3 11 27 14 46 30 17 66 26Total 14 55 26 26 86 30 61 223 27 135 487 28

R&D Researchers

0,0

100,0

200,0

300,0

400,0

500,0

600,0

700,0

800,0

900,0

MathematicsPhysics

ChemistryBiology

Space&EarthSc

OceanSc.

AgriculturalScHealthScCivilEng.

MechanicalEng

MaterialSc&Eng

Chem&BiotechEng

Comp&ElectrotechEng

EducationalSc

Nu

mber Men

Women


5/20

The representation of

women in leading

physics research

positions is similar totheir representation at

at University positions

21% vs 27%

The representation is

quite smaller in leading

physics research plus

administrative positions12% vs 26%

Coordinators of R&D Research Centres 2000

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

Mathem

atics

Physics

Chemis

tryBiol

ogy

Space&

EarthS

c

Agricul

turalSc

HealthS

c.

CivilEn

g.

Mechan

icalEng

.

Materia

lSc&En

g

Chem&

Biotech

Eng

Comp&E

letrotech

Eng

Educati

onalSc

number

Men

Women

Coordinators of R&D Research Projects

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

Mathem

atics Physics

Chemist

ryBiolo

gy

Space&

EarthSc

.

Agricultu

ralSc

HealthS

c.Civi

lEng.

Mechan

icalEng

.

MaterialS

c&Eng

Chem&B

iotech.E

ng

Comp&E

letrotech

.Eng

Educatio

nalSc

numbers Men

Women


6/20

Research in different fields

0,0

10,0

20,0

30,0

40,0

50,0

60,0

70,0

Mathem

atics

Physics

Chemis

tryBiol

ogy

Space&

EarthS

c

Agricul

turalSc

HealthS

cCivi

lEng.

Mechan

icalEn

g

Materia

lSc&En

g

Chem&

Biotech

Eng

Comp&E

lectrote

chEng

Educati

onalSc

%female..

Researchers

Coord. Projects

Coord. Centres

1. In all fields women are not well represented in leadership positions. This is particularly

true in health sciences, chemistry and engineering fields.

2. In physics this trend is less stricking.

Comparing different fields of Science


7/20

Three different erasGeneral situation

A- Until early 70s:

1. social class and not gender selects the access to the university.2. gender influences the field chosen:

girls choose arts and sciences courses

secondary school teacher positions

other less well paid professions.

boys choose technological courses, law and medicine

well paid liberal jobs.

B- From mid 70s till early 90s:1. large growth, qualitative and quantitative, of the Portuguese scientific community

2. political measures give equal opportunities for men and women.

3. better life conditions, economic independence and social ascension are the spring for the

fast increase of working women in all fields.

4. advanced studies are a recognized need but research is not yet a priority.

C- The last ten years:1. R&D gets important financial support from Portugal and Europe

2. political measures duplicate number of PhDs in 5 years.3. evaluation of R&D research centres starts according to international standards


8/20

Starting a Physics Career:

Up to the 70sThe best physics students get very easily a job at the University.

After 1-2 years they easily get a grant to prepare PhD abroad.Almost no PhDs in Portugal.After the PhD permanent job at the University

In the 80sThe best physics students get very easily a job at the University.

After 4-6 years they can prepare PhD in Portugal or abroad.

After the PhD permanent job at the University

In the 90sThe best students get easily a grant to prepare PhD.

After PhD the future is uncertain:

1. post-doc grants

2. teaching at private universities with no research structures

3. teaching at politechnics, with no physics department and no research structures

4. older universities, where research groups are organized, dont offer positions


9/20

1970-1994 Mathematics

Physics

Chemistry

Biology

Earth & Space Sciences

Agricultural & Veterinary

SciencesHealth Sciences

Mechanical Engeneering

Material Sciences and

EngeneeringCivil and Mining Engeneering

Biochemistry

Chemical Engeneering

Electrotechnics and Informatics

Educational Sciences

1995-2000

In the last years there was a fast

increase of the PhDs in Portugal. For

women this was even more striking: in

the period 1995-2000 the number ofwomen with PhD in all areas duplicated

as compared to the previous 25 years

(the exact, natural and educational

sciences represent around 70% of all

the PhDs for women and men).

In Physics the situation is very different.For men, the number of PhDs shows a

much faster increase than for women.

TOTAL = 1111Physics = 113

TOTAL = 1154

Physics = 32

Women with PhDs in Exact, Natural and

Educational Sciences

How are numbers changing


10/20

PhD in Physics

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

1970

1972

1974

1976

1978

1980

1982

1984

1986

1988

1990

1992

1994

1996

1998

2000

year

Men

Women

Total n of Physics PhDs

0

500

1970 1980 1990 2000

year


11/20

What kind of jobs

1.Teaching in the secondary school2. University career with teaching and possibly research

3. In industry, where almost no research done, engineers are prefered

4. Still very small offer in hospitals

The performance of Women. Role models1. Women have slightly better perfomance during studies than men

In 1996/97, 60.1% of women started a University course in Sciences;4 years latter from those who finished the course, 67.9% are women

2. It is natural for young people to learn physics from female teachers

In 1994/95, among all physics/ chemistry teachers at secundary school 77%are women

Understanding the Situation


12/20

3. It is natural for girls to follow their fathers steps

Because of girls being more mature when they go to University, fathers tend to

encourage them to choose their own career.

Social and economical conditions

1.With age between 20 and 44, the percentage of working women in general is:

83% if without children;72% if with children 0-5 years old.

2. Existing organized structures to look after children

3. Enlarged family collaborates in the bringing up of children (particularly true one

generation ago when older women did not have professional careers)

4. Until the 80s it was relatively inexpensive to pay for a full time person (alwaysa woman) to look after children.


13/20

Some Possible explanations for the relatively highpresence of women in physics in Portugal

Women do have to work, even with small children, as it is notpossible for a couple to live in one salary

Science, physics in particular, is therefore an option

It is socially well accepted that mothers go to work

A girl does not have to choose between family and career;although difficult, it has been possible to do both

Flexibility in the habits and in the system, together with low

competitiveness, has been used for a good cause

Longer periods for a degree; publications at a smaller rate


14/20

Only very recently there was an investment in science in the

country, at a time where it was generally accepted equal

opportunities for men and women

Girls took the opportunity that was offered

BUT

The present unstability beyind a Physicscareer and the increasing need of mobility,makes it less attractive now to women, whoneed a stable job, to be able to deal withprofessional commitment and family life.


15/20

Final Considerations

The compatibility of a professional career with a

family is an unsolved problem in our society,eventually with no perfect solution.

This problem can be partially solved with :

1. flexible working hours

2. flexible working places

3. the existence of support structures for children

4. support from employers, namely in academics,being released from administrative duties and notoverburdened with teaching.


16/20

[1] EUROSTAT, I. Laafia e A. Larsson, "Women in Public Research and Higher

Education in Europe", Theme 9 - 7/2001

[2] Observatrio de Cincia e Tecnologia, http://www.oct.mct.pt e Fundaopara a Cincia e Tecnologia, http://www.fct.mct.pt

[3] Dina Cano e Isabel de Castro, Situao das Mulheres em Portugal 2001,Comisso para a Igualdade e para os Direitos das Mulheres.

[4] L. Amncio, L. e P. vila, O gnero na cincia. In J. C. Jesuno (Coord.), Acomunidade cientfica portuguesa nos finais do sculo XX (pp. 135-162).Oeiras: Celta (1995)

[5] EUROSTAT, M. Dunne, "Women and Men in Tertiary Education", Theme 3 -

18/2001

[6]Fsica carreira para mulheres? C. Providncia, S. Andringa, C. Quintans,A. M. Eir, Gazeta de Fsica, vol25/4 (2002) 20
http://www.fct.mct.pt/http://www.fct.mct.pt/


17/20

Comments on the slides

Slide 1

Although I cannot be present, I would like toshare with you some aspects of a Physics career

for women in Portugal

Slide 2The presentation starts with some numbers, followed by the characterization of 3 different erasin time; then it is shown how the numbers are changing, and finally I will give my understanding

of the situation

Slide 3Besides the % of women in research in Portugal, the plot compares that % in different countries

in Europe, showing Portugal as having the highest numbers

Slide 4The table gives the numbers of women and % in the staff of all the Universities that havephysics Departments in the country. All categories sums up also tutors (that in Portugal may be

part of the staff) when they exists.

The plot shows the numbers of researchers (men and women) in different fields. Interesting the

numbers of health sciences, biotech and electrotech engeneering


18/20


Slide 5

In the same areas as before, the plots show a comparison between the numbers of men andwomen as project leaders (top), and as scientifically responsable for a group (bottom). The last

one means both scientific and administrative responsability.

Slide 6Joining the 3 previous plots together, only with the % of women, show clearly that in spite of the

representativeness, the is a clear decrease in the representation for leaders

Slide 7Three eras are characterized. This slide and the next one are self explanatory

Slide 8


19/20


Slide 9

Impressive comparison between the numbers of recent 5 years (1995-2000), comparedwith the 25 previous years (1970-1994). Yet physics does not grow as other sciences do.

There is an increase in the preference of women for biogical sciences and related fields,

e.g.biochemistry, biotechnology

Slide 10The rate at which women finish PhD in physics at present is not increasing and does not

reflect the recent money investments in sciences. This is contrary to the situation with

men, who show a clear increase of the n of PhDs per year.

Slide 11

This slide and the next two are self explanatory

Slide 12


20/20


Slide 13Some of these are bad reasons so to speak. The enlarged family support is a crucial help,that tends to disapear.

Slide 14The system has become more internationalized and much more competitive, so it will be

harder on women. Many girls now choose not to have children, or to have them later. The

general mood is very much career first and family after. That was definitely not the atitude20 years ago

Slide 15

A Physics Carrier for Women in Portugal

Documents

Transcript of A Physics Carrier for Women in Portugal