As for gender balance between generations, it varies.
I grew up in a science town where all of my friends had at least one parent that was a scientist. No one ever told me that math and science would be hard for me because I was a girl (although my mom was told that many times growing up). I was very focused through HS and undergrad to become a biochemist. I remember one of the senior PhD scientists in my summer research group told me that if she had the option to rethink her path, then she would. She is about my parents’ age and has her PhD in biochemistry. She was a role model and an inspiration for where I wanted to be in my life. She said that she wished she had stopped with just a master’s degree because she felt like a bad mom. PhD scientists have to work long hours and travel to a lot of conferences to give talks and present posters. If she just had her master’s, then she could have better hours and travel less. This really made me think about my choices. I felt that I was still on the right track. I didn’t want to “give up” on what I thought was my ultimate dream. [Off topic: My greatest advise is to stay flexible about your ultimate dreams and follow your own path to happiness.] My dream changed. I moved to CU Boulder for the PhD program in biochemistry. My best friend from high school also came to CU Boulder for the physical chemistry program. Historically, these were both male dominated fields. However, my class of Fall 2004 was almost perfectly 50-50! It was a big deal to have so many women in the sciences that are considered harder (mainly math-based sciences of chemistry and physics). Look forward to Fall 2005 and the numbers were no longer equal.
Many of the girls in my class, including myself, found that the PhD program was not the right fit. Two of us left to get our master’s in education. One got married and left the program. I lost touch with the rest of the girls, but none of the boys left the program. My main decision was made by the fact that I enjoyed making a difference when I was teaching chemistry at the college level. Having a family is also very important to me, so having the life and schedule of a teacher is much more family friendly. I find myself taking on the traditional roles of my parents and their generation as a whole. I realize that I will never make as much as my husband. He is a telecommunication engineer and has many more opportunities for salary increases. Those are the sacrifices you make to do something you love (teaching). :)
My best friend made it through the PhD program and has a well-paying job in San Fran. Yet she still likes the traditional female roles. She is just waiting for her fiancé to make enough money so she can quit working and make babies. I also see differences between my friends that are married and those that are still single. My married friends almost all match the format of women in lower-paying jobs and the men being the main breadwinners. My single friends have a different perspective. They don’t have anyone to support him or her, so they push even harder to be the biggest and best in their field.
Growing up, my dad supported the family and the little money brought in by
my mother, who owned her own small speech therapy business, was our “spending” money. They always told my sister and me that she was the reason we got to go school shopping or to go to Disney World. It was a nice way to show that she may make less, but it was still special and important for our family. My mom had a traditionally female job, while my dad was a highly technical nuclear engineer who focuses on the strength of materials. My dad goes to international conferences several times a year. All of the scientists go with their wives… with the exception of one. There is one female PhD scientist in my dad’s international field. Isn’t that amazing? Therefore, women may be increasing their presences in the math and sciences, but there are still fields that we have not broken into yet.
You asked if gender balance is important. I guess so. I think it is more important to be happy. I could be a PhD scientist like my dad, if I wanted to be. I could also make a lot more money if I used even my undergrad degree in the science field. However, it is more important to be happy. Teaching makes me happy. I did not choose teaching because it is a traditionally female profession. I certainly never felt that it was one of my only options. Regardless of gender, I feel almost every occupation is available. What matters is that people choose the path that fits them best. I won’t say that my dad’s field is at a loss due to the lack of women. I also don’t believe that my dad is gender-based in any way when hiring new members to his team. This is the generation where people are hired based on merit, or at least that is what I see.
--Ms. Noraddin
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