Introduction

Research Methods

Results

Conclusions and Recommendations

Future Plans

References

Participants

Acknowledgements

Contact Us

Links

LOOM—Women Faculty are not essential

But they ARE important

•     One of the most important things we learned is that male faculty can successfully mentor women students—3 of our 5 successful departments had all male faculty.  This tells us that a department need not wait to “hire a woman” before trying to create a female-friendly department.  Nor should male faculty expect their lone woman colleague to bear all the burden of creating a friendly department, mentoring women students, and so on.   

It would be nice to see some really good female professors who are supportive of females going through the science program, just to know that you can get somewhere. (Female student)

• Women students want female faculty.  There are some things that women students would rather not discuss with even the most sympathetic man.  Most important, women students need and want female role models. 

I could look upon her as a role model and relate more..  The male faculty are sort of role models for me, but it’s not exactly  the same.  (Female student)

• Elizabeth Tidball (1986) found a strong correlation between the presence of adult female role models and the aspirations of women students. 

When our number one candidate comes out to be a woman and we offer her the job, that she’d take it.  That’s happened twice, in the last few searches. (Department chair)

• Department chairs and deans are aware of the importance of women faculty.  In our interviews, many told me, as did the department chair above, that they had tried and failed to recruit women to their physics departments.  Often this failure was for family reasons.

• Loom

© 2004 All Rights Reserved