Boys need encouragement to be scientists - what do you think?

[momto3]

54. These are very difficult questions to ask.

These are great questions. I did not reply last night because I wanted to try to have a thoughtful and coherent response. I feel very strongly about these issues since they impact me directly.

My opinion (I want to stress opinion) is that the entire infrastructure of academic biomedical research needs to be changed. I think there is a glut of PhDs in this country. If institutions were more stringent on their requirements, the funding and lack of position problems would ease. There are currently too many PhDs and too few positions. This has led to the professional postdoc. I also believe that postdocs should have a union. Many PIs see postdocs as highly trained cheap labor and are unwilling to further that persons career in order to keep them around. There is no standard of salary for postdocs. NIH has set "suggestions" on salaries, but many institutions do not follow. Postdocs also work 60 hr weeks (at their miserable pay) to try to get enough publications for that elusive independent position. Having a family is very difficult at this pay scale and required hours in the lab.

This leads me to problems with the way research is funded. The NIH is the primary source of biomedical funding. You cannot apply for NIH grants unless you are faculty, and most institutions require new hires to have independent funding. You can see the vicious circle. There are postdoctoral grants available to new fellows. But, there is nothing available to the "professional" postdoc and this is one of the reasons why they are stuck in their position.

The NIH tends to only fund "safe" research, or research that they know will succeed. For new investigators this is nearly impossible since they lack the experience, and reputation, required to have guaranteed safe research. This also stifles research into areas that could really push scientific knowledge forward. These requirements mean that if one takes time off to have children or be a "family" person, you do not have the time put into being "experienced". I know of grants that were rejected because the PI did not publish within the past year. Of course, this effects both men and women, but women more if they choose to start a family.

The DoD also funds a decent amount of biomedical research. They are much more willing to fund risky research, unlike the NIH. Many of us are worried that the impending DoD budget cuts will end this funding source.

This leads to faculty hiring and tenure. Assistant professors have 7 years from the time of hire to attain tenure. Women at this stage are generally 25-35 years old. One can count on 50-60 hour weeks of grant writing, manuscript preparation, teaching, mentoring and various other "community" works (i.e. committees) in addition to establishing a successful independent research project. I'm sure that you can see how this would effect family life. Many women leave at this point. I am not sure that this phenomenon is due to women being more interested in family than men, but more to the fact that women have the uterus. It is physically impossible to work those hours, go through a 9 month pregnancy, deliver a child and recuperate. Men do not have this problem. The system does not account for this.

There are also very few experience independent women researchers to mentor young women researchers. I have had 2 male "mentors" in the past that criticized me for having a family. I was told that I would never succeed and that I should consider alternative careers to research. No wonder women leave! I was also told that I should hire a full time nanny to watch the kids and do the housework. I have to admit that I looked at him and asked if he new how much he was paying me. Seriously? A full time nanny?

I want to say that not every institution is insensitive to women and family life. But, many are and this is the reason for the discrepancy between women who have earned a PhD and those that have achieved successful independent careers. I work in a major world renown research institution. We have 80 full time faculty with only 2 being women. I have settled for a non-tenure track position. These are becoming more popular to those of us not willing to sacrifice our family for our career. I do not have the job stability of tenured and tenure track positions and am dependent on the funding I hope to bring in and the funding that currently supports me. In essence, I am a glorified postdoc. I do all of the work of a faculty member, but do not get the perks.

As I said this these are difficult questions to answer and something for which I feel very passionate. Sorry this is so long and thanks if you have made it this far.