Women in physics: Bound by the ropes of motherhood expectations and the gendered labor market

Event type: Sociology Social Policy and Criminology Seminar
Date: Monday 21st November 2022
Time: 16.00-17.30
Venue: University of Southampton, Highfield Campus, Building 58, Room 4121

Dr. Meytal Eran-Jona, Head of Diversity and Inclusion Office,
Weizmann Institute of Science
Prof. Yosef Nir, Department of Particle Physics and Astrophysics,
Weizmann Institute of Science

This study examines perceptions of PhD and postdoctoral female physics students, from all faculties in Israel, regarding their decision whether to pursue an academic career. Despite ongoing efforts to enhance gender equality in science in the academy, women constitute a scarce minority of faculty staff in maths-intensive fields worldwide and the barriers for change are persistent. In Israel the gender imbalance is extremely severe, as women constitute up to 20% of the academic staff in maths- intensive fields yet only 7% in physics. Our aim is to explore the reasons for this gender imbalance and find new avenues to enhance diversity in physics.