Throughout history women have made significant contributions to science and social innovation. We all know of Marie Sklodowska-Curie, the first woman to win a Nobel prize in 1903 for physics, and who then became a double Nobel prize winner in 1911 for chemistry—both prizes were for her work on radiation. However, women have faced and continue to face many barriers in the world of science, from lower status and salaries to having their work peer-reviewed and accepted.
Today, the salaries of women scientists with doctoral degrees are less than men. Consequently, there is less participation by women in high-ranking scientific field/positions. Moreover, even with men and women in the same scientific field, women are typically paid 15 to 17 per cent less than men. Leading companies and prestigious universities around the world are concerned about the continuous exit of women from science, social innovation and technology.
In response, a number of organisations have
been started to combat the issues that may deter girls from careers in
science. In the U.K. the Wise Campaign (Women into Science, Engineering and Construction) and the U.K. Resource Centre for Women in SET
are collaborating to ensure that industry, academia and education are
all aware of the importance of challenging the traditional approaches to
career advice and recruitment that result in the loss of some of the
best brains in the country. Elsevier, the world-leading provider of scientific, technical and medical information, products and services, has recently published, 'Careers Through Leadership and Innovation: Inspiration and Strategies for Women', an academic title by Dr. Pamela McCauley Bush.
It is a must read for all women pursuing or involved in a career in
Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics (STEM). Accompanying the
book is a website that features case studies, with slides that can be
used in teaching and bullet points that summarize critical points of
each chapter.
Dr. Bush's professional background
and experience makes her the best-placed author for a book like this,
as she is not only a Fulbright Scholar but also a successful researcher
and innovator who is recognised as an influential speaker in leadership
and STEM education communities. In her book, Dr. Bush examines
research-based leadership and social innovation
principles to make them both real and attainable. She empowers her
readers to build upon their own strengths and successes to discover and
develop leadership and innovation skills, by providing practical guides
that educate, encourage and equip readers to pursue leadership and innovation opportunities.
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