Speaker
Description
Women are still underrepresented in senior positions in astronomy, even though their academic performance is comparable to, and sometimes better than, that of their male colleagues. This is the well-known pattern of vertical segregation that INAF’s Gender Equality Plans aim to address.
In this contribution, we place INAF’s response within the broader international context.
Studies of telescope time allocation at ESO, HST, ALMA and XMM-Newton have found lower success rates for proposals led by women. Dual-anonymous review has helped to reduce this gap, but has not removed it completely. Gender-related differences in writing style may still affect how proposals are judged, even when the identity of the applicant is hidden. Research has also shown that panels whose members believe gender bias is no longer a problem may, in fact, display stronger bias.
A similar trend can be seen across the profession as a whole. Women make up about 21% of the members of the International Astronomical Union worldwide, and their representation decreases at each career stage: from PhD positions to postdoctoral roles, permanent and senior positions, full professorships and leadership roles.
We then consider some of the reasons identified by research. These include stereotypes and implicit biases that begin to form in childhood, differences in self-promotion and in how people assess their own abilities, and the so-called “competence penalty”: highly competent women may face negative interpersonal reactions that equally competent men do not experience.
Structural factors also play an important role, including the impact of parenthood on women’s careers and the economic dependence that can result from long periods of precarious employment.
We argue that reducing the gender gap will require both effective institutional policies and a broader cultural change in the way scientific merit is recognised and rewarded.
This cultural change will inevitably take time.
In the meantime, we examine what INAF is already doing, where further action is needed, and which practical steps can be taken along the way.