The AAI Committee on the Status of Women sponsored its eighth annual Special Symposium, Think Biotech: Opportunities for Women in Biotechnology, on April 18 at the 1999 AAI Annual meeting. Dr. Paula Kavathas introduced this unique Symposium which included the following speakers and topics:
Dr. Yvonne Paterson and Dr. Philippa Marrack - "Getting Involved in Biotech as Academics"
Dr. Mary Lynne Hedley and Dr. Kim Warren - "Starting a Biotech Company"
Dr. Julia Greenstein and Dr. Sandra Lehrman - "Working in Upper Management"
A discussion period followed the presentations. This year's Symposium offers a singular opportunity to interact with women who have experienced the opportunities and challenges presented by their involvement in various capacities within the biotechnology arena.
The Committee on the Status of Women is charged with monitoring the professional progress and accomplishments of women immunologists. To this end, we have reviewed the editorial board composition of several prominent immunology journals. The results of this survey for 1999 and 1994 are summarized in the following table. This information was obtained from the lists of editorial board members published in recent issues of the selected journals. The editorial staff from approximately half of the journals responded to a request for verification of the 1999 data. The primary objectives of this exercise are to inform our membership of the current representation held by women on various editorial boards and to enhance the general awareness for including capable women in this capacity. In advocating a selection process based on merit as well as appropriate representation, the Committee seeks to promote the selection of qualified women for influential positions. In order to advance this goal, the Committee also is planning to conduct a review of the proportion of women speakers at several national meetings. The results of this survey will be published in a subsequent ImmunoNotes installment.
|
Journal |
Number of Editorial Board Members (1999) |
Percentage (Number) of Women on Editorial Board (1999) |
Percentage of Women on Editorial Board (1994) |
|
Journal of Immunology |
61 |
26 (16) |
17 |
|
Immunity |
61 |
20 (12) |
9 |
|
Journal of Exp. Medicine |
107 |
10 (11) |
11 |
|
International Immunology |
15 |
13 (2) |
13 |
|
Cellular Immunology |
74 |
24 (18) |
12 |
|
Eur. Journal of Immunology |
75 |
17 (13) |
17 |
|
Immunogenetics |
44 |
10 (4) |
19 |
|
Immunological Reviews |
19 |
26 (5) |
4 |
|
Cell |
64 |
5 (3) |
4 |
|
Science |
97 |
10 (10) |
4 |
To assist editors as well as meeting organizers and seminar hosts in the selection of qualified women immunologists, the Committee on the Status of Women maintains and frequently updates the Potential Speakers and Chairs List. This List consists of an alphabetical roster containing pertinent contact information for women immunologists as well as a topic roster in which the members are organized by research focus. The women included on the List are independent investigators who maintain an active publication record. Membership in the AAI is strongly encouraged but not required.
Return to the AAI Status of Women Committee homepage