Elga Wasserman (PhD Chem, J.D.) did a study of all the women who have
made it into the (US) National Academy of Sciences, trying to get a
handle on what it was about those women, and/or their circumstances,
that allowed them to be so successful. (One must not only be very
accomplished, but recognized as so by one's male peers to make it
into the academy.) Her book on the subject, The Door in the Dream:
Conversations with Eminent Women in Science (2000) can be ordered or
read on-line at the publisher's site at:
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/6375.html
For all of the followers of this news group, it's a nice chance to
see the "leaks in the pipeline" discussion from the success side,
instead of the "leak" side. For Gerd, it is also a list of those
eminent, publishing women.
I paste the publisher's blurb below.
(Disclaimer -- I heard the author talk about her work, and later
invited her to talk to my Women in Science group, but have no other
connection to the book.)
Laurel
[National Academy Press]
"While much has been written about barriers to women in
science, very little work celebrates the wisdom and insights of the
women who have risen to the top of their chosen scientific
profession. In this remarkable book, the author gathers the personal
stories of the select few women scientists who have achieved the
honor of election to the prestigious National Academy of Sciences.
" Including several Nobel laureates, the group is elite--yet
their career profiles and personal interviews have much to say to
everyone struggling to overcome obstacles. From their passionate love
of research to their struggle to balance the demands of home and
career, these women share a great deal. At the same time, these
intimate portraits offer widely different insights about how being
female has affected their careers.
"In these chapters, readers will discover the importance of
such factors as persistence, good mentoring, talent, and plain luck.
Often, there is a critical moment at which, but for a serendipitous
event, even these dedicated women could easily have been diverted
from their career paths. The Door in the Dream offers an intimate
glimpse into the lives of these inspiring women, providing readers
the opportunity to benefit from their personal insights and anecdotes.
"In an informal and engaging manner, the author provides a
fascinating window into the changing status and representation of
women in science in the 20th century. Among the eminent women
interviewed:
Mary Ellen Avery
May R. Berenbaum
Mary K. Gaillard
Margaret Kidwell
Judith P. Klinman
Nancy Kopell
Marian Koshland
Jane Lubchenco
Pamela Matson
Cathleen Morawetz
Myriam Sarachik
Joan Steitz
Susan Taylor
"This book will be helpful to anyone concerned about women:
educators, employers, university administrators, career counselors,
scholarship funders, scientific professional groups, established
women scientists, and--perhaps most important --young women aspiring
to a science career, their parents, and their advisors."
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