Hello WIMSE Friends!

Enclosed is a brief abstract for an interesting news article.  You may
have to search the archives at the LA Times to find this particular item
since it was published around Sept. 19, 2000.

Comments on the article could start an interesting listserv
conversation.

Don't FORGET

        >>>>>    Tonight 7-8 PM  WIMSE meeting    <<<<<<<

                               Basement WELLS HALL

                Someone will open the door for visitors until 7:10 PM


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WE UNDERVALUE WOMEN IN SCIENCE AT OUR PERIL
Commentary from The Los Angeles Times

You do not have to live in Silicon Valley or be a genius to understand
the
close link between the expansion of our economy and advances in science
and
technology. To keep pace, we must reach out to all segments of our
population--particularly women and minorities--who are essential to
keeping
our competitive edge.

While a case can be made for all underrepresented groups, for the
moment,
let's take the case of women, many of whom are on the sidelines in
their
fields. After more than 30 years of positive intervention, a few good
policies and some truly tangible results, the science and technology
work
force remains, unmistakably, male-dominated.

According to a recent National Science and Technology Council report,
white
males in 1997 received less than half of all science and technology
degrees,
yet they held 65% of the jobs in those fields. While women earned
nearly
half of the undergraduate degrees and a third of the doctoral degrees,
they
held only 18% of the science and technology jobs.
<http://www.latimes.com/news/science/science/20000919/t000088684.html>

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Dr. Jan M. Yarrison-Rice
Associate Professor of Physics
Physics Department
Miami University
Oxford, OH  45056


513-529-1862 or  513-529-5625
   FAX   513-529-5629
www.cas.muohio.edu/~yarrisjm
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