Accidental Twins Productions

The idea for the film Minority Women In Science developed from observing the obstacles and frustrations experienced by my sister and some friends of mine, as women academics in the United States. Most are struggling to be considered for tenure or tenure-track positions in their university departments.

Unlike other countries, in the US only a tenured position can secure you stable lifetime work in higher education. Typically, these positions are scarce and extremely competitive. And even if promoted to full professorship, women are rarely considered for the top leadership jobs such as department chair, head of a research center or dean of a school, let alone president of a university.

On one occasion, I remember asking my sister: Why is there still a gender gap problem? I thought universities were research institutions where objectivity prevails and people, irrespective of gender or race, are hired and promoted based on merit, where everybody is competing on equal terms, at least in theory. Continue reading Minority Women In Science…