Societal barriers remain for women in science

Nature : Psychologists Stephen Ceci and Wendy Williams of Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, recently conducted a study to explore the persistent shortage of women in physics, computer science, and engineering. Their analysis , published yesterday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, contrasts with reports that suggest overt discrimination remains a significant problem. Ceci and Williams conclude, instead, that female researchers lag behind their male counterparts in professional advancement because of a broader set of societal realities, which include raising a family and gender expectations.