Post on 23-Dec-2015
Women in Canadian Astronomy:2000-2005
Brenda C. Matthews (HIA)
Michael A. Reid (SMA)
5 June 2006 Women in Canadian Astronomy2
Goals of the Surveys
The purpose of this survey is to track the representation of women in Canadian astronomy at all levels of education, academia, industry and in observatories/laboratories.
Data requested of all major university institutions, research institutes (CITA & HIA) and community colleges with physics programs
5 June 2006 Women in Canadian Astronomy3
Summary of 10-year Survey (2000)
First comprehensive survey of demographics of Canadian astronomical community
Statistics include only about 50% of the community Found women were under-represented at all levels of
Canadian astronomy– Some trends of improvement in averages in two five-year average
periods Results biased toward middle-sized and small departments
due to absence of responses of several large departments (17 respondents of 23 depts)
5 June 2006 Women in Canadian Astronomy4
Motivation for a 2nd Survey
Continuity of data Include more departments
– many large departments did not participate in 2000 survey
Record incoming graduate students as well as graduands– Can eventually track attrition from graduate programs
by gender
5 June 2006 Women in Canadian Astronomy5
An Online Survey
Institutions asked to provide number of male and female personnel in 12 categories:– Full professors (full and part time)– Associate professors (full and part time)– Assistant professors (full and part time)– Other (e.g., research staff)– Postdocs– Incoming and graduated PhD and MSc students
5 June 2006 Women in Canadian Astronomy6
Compiled Data
Used only data where categories have entries for all six years
Acadia UniversityBrandon UniversityCape Breton UniversityCanadian Institute for Theoretical AstrophysicsConcordia UniversityHerzberg Institute of Astrophysics Laval UniversityMcGill UniversityMcMaster UniversityMount Allison UniversityRoyal Military CollegeSherbrooke UniversityTrent University
University of Alberta, Augustana campusUniversity of British Columbia University of CalgaryUniversity College of the Fraser Valley University of GuelphUniversity of Lethbridge University of ManitobaUniversity of New BrunswickUniversity of Northern BCUniversity of OttawaUniversity of PEIUniversity of TorontoUniversity of VictoriaUniversity of Western Ontario
27
5 June 2006 Women in Canadian Astronomy7
Results: Faculty
Little change over 5 years in the number or fraction of positions held by women
3.7%
53 53 56 57 57 54
5 June 2006 Women in Canadian Astronomy8
Number of positions has doubled
Total number of positions has doubled
15-35% held by women, but highly variable
12 13 14 14 20 25
5 June 2006 Women in Canadian Astronomy9
Significant Number of New Hires!
Increase in number of positions overall
25-35% of positions held by women, but variable
15 18 18 22 27 24
5 June 2006 Women in Canadian Astronomy10
Summary: Faculty
Recent hires and advancements indicate that 30% have gone to women in the past 5 years– This is equivalent to the fraction of women at assistant
and associate levels (combined)
Note that in general, MORE positions at assistant and associate faculty levels, but fractional representation of hires of women remains at 30%
5 June 2006 Women in Canadian Astronomy11
Results: Postdoctoral Fellows
44 47 53 71 72 77
10-17 % representation by women
VERY significant increase in total number of postdocs in Canada
5 June 2006 Women in Canadian Astronomy12
Master’s Degree Programs
19 18 24 21 40 32 8 16 15 12 14 22
5 June 2006 Women in Canadian Astronomy13
Doctoral Programs
13 16 21 19 25 32 5 7 13 8 14 14
5 June 2006 Women in Canadian Astronomy14
Improvements (5 year averages)
1991-1995 1996-2000 2001-2005
Full professors 0 % 0 % 4 %
Associate professors 10 % 13 % 22 %
Assistant professors 12 % 23 % 30 %
Postdocs 7 % 17 % 14 %
PhDs Granted 9 % 14 % 30 %
MScs Granted 14 % 20 % 40 %
Entrant PhDs --- --- 37 %
Entrant MScs --- --- 38 %
5 June 2006 Women in Canadian Astronomy15
Next Steps…
complete the dataset for the current survey– Five-year averages cannot be used if only one or two
most recent years are included as biases are introduced
Refine website and request information annually