Many senior female faculty say that though the small numbers of women in the sciences is not the only problem, it is perhaps the most important one to tackle.
Cynthia M. Friend, Richards professor of chemistry, says that the only way for women to gain a voice within their departments is for them to gain a "constituency."
This is why, she says, she has directed her efforts towards increasing the number of tenured women in the sciences.
"I'd rather put my energies into things where I do think there are problems and I think I can make a difference."
Goodman says she believes that recruiting more women to the faculty will help raise the numbers of women in science at all levels. "Until more and more women get into astronomy and into other of these traditionally male fields they'll just look that unappealing way to a lot of other women," she says.
University Takes Action
He has asked five scientists, Cabot Professor of Natural Sciences John E. Dowling '57, Friend, Georgi, Grosz and Baird Professor of Science Dudley R. Herschbach to serve on the Ad Hoc Task Force on Faculty Diversity, which is still in its planning stages.
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