JULY, 1950
WOMEN I N SCIENCE SISTER MARY HELENE Marycrest College, Davenport, Iowa
Is THERE a place for women in the scientific world today or is the modern successful woman scientist still considered the exception? Are her opportunities equal in all fields of scientific endeavor? What related courses best qualify the woman scientist? Is the salary commensurate with the training? How much experience is required? Are our college graduat,es following the profession for which they have been trained? How important is graduate training? These and other questions form the basis of a survey which included directors of laboratories and college alumnae. The laboratories selected represent a cross section of those in which women most frequently seek employment, namely, the clinical and industrial research types. The alumnae are those graduates who majored in saience a t the college from which this report originated. Compilation of these data gives a representative picture of the current opportunities for women in the scientific world and helps evaluate the role of t,he college woman graduate. I t is hoped that this information mill serve as an aid in meeting the difficulties cited on page 1-4 of the 1949 Government Bulletin concerning the boundaries and classifications of women engaged in various scientific fields. Placement of women in clinical laboratories exceeds that afforded by research laboratories in a ratio which is an almost exact inverse proportion. The percentages of men and women employed in each of these fields arc tabulated as follows:
great exactness in detailed manipulat.ion is a first requisite. Then too, to reach a certain degree of skill so as t,o he an asset to a lahoratory requires a shorter period of time in the case of a clinical lahoratory than that required in a research lahoratory. Consequently replacement is more readily accomplished and the socallcd "risk" on the part of directors of laboratories is rcduced considerably. Women are not to be looked upon, however, as barrcd from the field of research. Reasons for the low percentage of women engaged in this profession include such objections as shorter tenure, fewer capabilities, and limited potential nscfulness. The following excerpts are taken from let,ters received from research direct,~~~. "A woman is believed by most employers to he a less desirable employee than a man of equivalent esperience and training." "A woman is more likely than a man to interrupt her employment because of marriage or home responsibilities. If she stays, the range of her potential usefulness t,o the organization is believed to be more limited than that, of the average male." J. W. Brownson of the Westinghouse Research Department states: "We have found that most of our women employees xi11 remain with us only until they are married. Consequently we are not anxious to hire women due to the necessity of replacement approximately every three to five years." According to Robert F. McCoole, technical personnel Women Men Emmanager of the Monsanto Chemical Company, women Employed, ployed, are not as good a risk as men. "In general we 6nd % % young women who enter employment in science are not Clinical laboratories 89 11 as good a risk from the long-range point of view as men Resesrch laboratories 12 88 -that is, the announced career girl does not always so The very large proportion of women engaged in clinical mature, so there is a correspondingly high termination laboratories proves that this is a woman's field. They factor, and this in itself is a deterrent to a research diare particularly adept a t this type of work in which rector or chief chemist when considering women.
JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL EDUCATION
382
From the point of view of experience required, the clinical laboratory is universal in its requirements of a year's internship in an approved hospital. The research laboratory, on the other hand, prefers its employees with little or no experience, according to the responsibility of the position. "Experience is not required for all positions," is the statement made by the General Mills Research Department. Those with more training and experience in laboratory procedure are thus qualified for supervisory positions." The Standard Oil Research Laboratory advises that, "Experience varies with the position. No experience is required in some cases." The item of salaries paid to women in research and clinical laboratories is difficult to compare because of reluctance on the part of research directors to furnish this information. Seventy-eight per cent of the research laboratories gave no numerical value for maximum salaries, stating that this depended on the type of work and the efficiency and training of the individual. Forty-four per cent reported the average minimum salary as $2800, while 22 per cent gave the maximum sal-
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While the picture may not appear too promising, nevertheless the average college moman who has majored in science has definitely found opportunities in this field which are a challenge to her. She has either proved that she is the exception or has otherwise supplemented her supposed liabilities with preferred assets. In evaluating the role of the woman college graduate who has majored in science the survey has been made t o include the positions held by alumnae of Marycrest College. The ratio of clinical and research workers among these graduates is greater than that found in the survey of laboratories: 68.9 per cent are employed in clinical laboratories and 31.1 per cent in research laboratories. Women find scientific interests, however, in other fields which merit attention. The nursing and teaching professions are good outlets for women who are interested in the pursuit of science and whose personalities are such that their best work can be done in helping others. Considering these four fields of science, the percentages of alumnae engaged in each avocation is as follows: Clinical laboratories.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33.4%
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ing the year of internship is $1680 while the maximum salary is $3400. Although we have considered only the placement of women in clinical and research laboratories the directors of research laboratories have selected women to fill other scientific positions, such as that of technical librarian, literature survey work, analytical and control work, research assistants, and the like. These recommenciations are summarized as follows. J. H. Howard, business and technical personnel director of the Eastman Kodak Company, gives us this information: "The majority of university graduates employed for work in this area are young men who can look fonvard to a career with the company. Nevertheless, there are occasions where me very definitely consider the applications of young women." "There are some women in research, hut a greater percentage of our women lahoratorians are in analytical and control work." "Girls who have majored in science are employed either in technical library and literature survey work, or as research assistants or laboratory technicians," according to G . L. Bussard of E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company. "A few girls are employed in plant analytical laboratories where they will run tests that are necessary to control chemical processes. Occasionally, girls with bachelor's-level training are employed as research assistants, carrying out the less fundamental work of a research chemist. I n addition to the above types of work, there are occasionally openings for girl scientists who have a flair for writing. Such individuals may enter advertising or promotional work or infrequently may assist in the editing of technical reports in publieations."
In furthering the pursuit of their chief interests 24.8 per cent of those engaged in scientific professions have continued with their graduate work as an added asset t o their qualifications. Seventy-five per cent were employed without further training. Although women are accused of short tenure, the length of employment tabulated below indicates that they might be considered a good risk. Some marry immediately upon completion of their college work, others never follow their chosen field, but the majority make a generous contribution to science. Percentage of science majors who were married soon after gmdustion.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 . 3 % Percentage of science mnjors who did not fallow a. sci-
Of the remaining 85.4 per cent who began working in science, 47 per cent have continued in this profession five years or longer. This extended service in science is perhaps best explained by the intensive interest which such a field develops. Such factors as usefulness, sense of accomplishment, lack of monotony, advancement of science, need of exactness, keeping on the alert, and working with people are among the many advantages proclaimed by those engaged in scientific pursuits. The disadvantages border chiefly on the items of uncertain hours, routine, and low wages until experienced. Again, as in the case of industrial and clinical lahoratories, the wage scale is difficult to evaluate. I n this instance the length of the period of employment is too variable to give satisfactory data. With this factor in view we list the minimum and maximum wages for the four science professions.
JULY. 1950
383 Minimum
Clinical lahoratorians Research scientists
Nurses Science teachers
$1600 2500 2200 2400
Maximum $2500 3000 3500 4200
The courses which these graduates have found to be particularly helpful are wide in scope. Those engaged in research work have listed analytical chemistry, bacteriology, calculus, English, and philosophy as courses which were of value to them. The clinical laboratorian capitalizes on her work in biochemistry, bacteriology, serology, histology, all possible chemistry courses, anatomy, hematology, physiology, and suggests shorthand as being very helpful. In addition to the courses in her major field the teacher stresses the importance of courses in methods of progressive education. While the nurse must have all the science courses specific for nursing, she includes as important English, all phases of psychology and philosophy. From the foregoiug data we conclude that the college
woman graduate who has majored in science evaluates her own role by the position she holds, her experience, her salary, graduate training, and the recommendation of courses which have been especially useful to her. Is she still considered the exception, the risk? Even though there are limitations in pursuing certain phases of science, nevertheless there is a definite need for women college graduates with majors in science. As statistics indicate, there has been a vast increase in the employment of women in science since World War 11. They may have had to sell their qualifications with a convincing personality; but be that as it may, they have taken their place in science. The prospects for the future may well be summarized by the statement made by Rohert F. McCoole of Monsanto Chemical Company: "I would think the true career girl well based in science and -ivith the other requisites of a successful scientist would find equal, if not greater opportunities in science than in the industrial pursuits."
