Sexual harassment occurs regularly in all academic fields and professions. What is being implied by A. Hope Jahren? Does this occur more frequently in STEM fields? The focus may be due to the effort, which began decades ago, to attract more women into these fields, to make these environments less hostile to new female recruits. It also could occur more frequently because women are still a minority in many offices and labs.
I remember a lecture three decades ago given at my university by a woman who was a NASA ceramics engineer. It was quite inspiring. I remember thinking … wow I could be an engineer if I wanted … that hadn’t occurred to me before. I wonder what her experience was in the workplace?
At the community college I first attended before transferring to university, the professors in math and science were horrible. I was good and the only woman in the physics class. The professor acted like he hated me. The professor who taught the pre-architecture class made it clear he thought I didn’t belong … and it goes on. I know from personal experience how important it is to create a supportive environment for ALL students who are exploring their options. I admire the women who toughed it out during that time.
So here we are three decades later with increasing numbers of women training in the STEM professions and still having to deal with men who are threatened by women competing for the same jobs and willing to do anything to intimidate them. The good old boy system!
Women belong in any workplace they are qualified for and have a right to a supportive work environment. The situation is improving, but we’ve much work to do yet.