F1000Research (Jun 2016)

Where are the female science professors? A personal perspective [version 1; referees: 2 approved]

  • Shina Caroline Lynn Kamerlin

DOI
https://doi.org/10.12688/f1000research.8889.1
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 5

Abstract

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The first woman to earn a Professorship at a University in Europe was Laura Maria Caterina Bassi, who earned a professorship in physics at the University of Bologna in 1732. Almost 300 years and three waves of feminism later, in 2016, women typically still only comprise 20% (or less) of the number of full professors in Europe. This opinion article will discuss the experiences of being a female academic today and the factors contributing to the academic gender gap from the perspective of a “young” natural scientist, as well as providing constructive suggestions for strategies to empower women in the academic world.

Keywords