Drs. Laura Kenefic (MS '95) & Susan Stout
(MS '84), USDA Forest Service, Northern Research Station, Bradley ME and Irvine, PA, spoke about the
USFS Civil Rights Special Project: Influences on Scientists' Career Pathways on April 28 in a bonus installment of the
Women in Scientific and Environmental Professions Speaker Series.
The presentation was sponsored by the Department of Forest and Natural
Resources Management, the US Forest Service, and the ESF Women's
Caucus.
The primary goals of the USFS Civil Rights Special Project are to
understand the diverse career pathways of scientists in the Northern
Research Station, and to examine the role, if any, that gender plays in
the scientists definitions, perceptions, and
attainment of career goals. Drs. Laura Kenefic and Susan Stout, and
their colleagues Cherie LeBlanc Fisher and Christel Kern surveyed
scientists about career pathways, impact of mentoring, changes in
family, and measures of job satisfaction.
In
this project, they surveyed employees that remained in the pipeline;
they did not talk to former employees to determine if they left for
professional advancement, or for personal reasons.
In general, they had a good response rate across the board, with the
exception of younger male employees. They
found that women were only slightly more likely to perceive a negative
or neutral influence of childcare on career trajectory compared to men,
but men and women were increasingly concerned about their families and
eldercare. They also confirmed that men and women considered different
factors when rating job satisfaction—women
value flexibility, while men prefer security. Women
also value work relationships (a strong work ethic, collaboration and
teamwork) more than their male counterparts. Also, the Forest
Service’s official mentoring program is not perceived as satisfactory
and is not well used, but overall, other mentors have had a positive
influence on the individual researchers careers. And, those that
employees (men and women) who answered that they had
been subject to discrimination and harassment were far more likely to
think that they had made the wrong career choice and were unsatisfied
with the balance between personal and professional lives.
They
have a lot of data still to analyze, including qualitative data that
may shed more light on some of their results. The reiterated that they
only surveyed current employees, and that
because at least one of the researchers would know each respondent,
they chose to generalize some of the questions in order to maintain
anonymity.
Please note that while the Speaker
Series has concluded for this year, we are looking for suggestions for
programs for the upcoming academic year. For more information, please
visit
http://www.esf.edu/womenscaucus/speakers.htm
Dr. Kenefic sent this summary prior to their visit:
There were few significant differences among the career pathways that men and women scientists followed.
Most respondents reported having at least one mentor or career advocate. Of these, 46% of female respondents and 30% of male respondents reported having at least one female mentor or career advocate.
There were no gender differences in the ways that marital status, becoming a parent, parenting, or having eldercare responsibilities affected self-perceived career success. There was a difference (though not statistically significant) between men and women in the influence of parenting young children; a higher proportion of women believed that this had a negative influence on their career, while a higher proportion of men believed that this had been a positive influence on their career.
Women were significantly more likely than men to feel that their gender influenced the way they felt about their job, career and self-perception of career satisfaction, and this influence was likely to be mixed or positive. There were no statistically significant differences between men and women in the self-perceived role of gender in getting a job or in career advancement.
A greater proportion of women then men said that job flexibility is “very important” to their personal definition of career success; men were more likely than women to say that job security is “very important” to their personal definition of career success.
Women were more likely than men to rate “a strong work ethic,” “an applied science orientation,” “relationships with managers,” “relationships with NGOs,” and “teamwork” as “very important." Men were more likely than women to rate participating in civil rights activities as “unimportant;” about half of all respondents rated this as “sometimes important, sometimes unimportant.”
There were few significant differences among the career pathways that men and women scientists followed.
Most respondents reported having at least one mentor or career advocate. Of these, 46% of female respondents and 30% of male respondents reported having at least one female mentor or career advocate.
There were no gender differences in the ways that marital status, becoming a parent, parenting, or having eldercare responsibilities affected self-perceived career success. There was a difference (though not statistically significant) between men and women in the influence of parenting young children; a higher proportion of women believed that this had a negative influence on their career, while a higher proportion of men believed that this had been a positive influence on their career.
Women were significantly more likely than men to feel that their gender influenced the way they felt about their job, career and self-perception of career satisfaction, and this influence was likely to be mixed or positive. There were no statistically significant differences between men and women in the self-perceived role of gender in getting a job or in career advancement.
A greater proportion of women then men said that job flexibility is “very important” to their personal definition of career success; men were more likely than women to say that job security is “very important” to their personal definition of career success.
Women were more likely than men to rate “a strong work ethic,” “an applied science orientation,” “relationships with managers,” “relationships with NGOs,” and “teamwork” as “very important." Men were more likely than women to rate participating in civil rights activities as “unimportant;” about half of all respondents rated this as “sometimes important, sometimes unimportant.”
