Short Skirts, Ice, and Compromise: The Tale of the Growth of a Woman

• In Event: 58.011 - Acquired Wisdom: Lessons Learned by Distinguished Researchers

Abstract

Objective: To reflect strategies and tactics needed to overcome bias throughout a long academic career in research, applications, and organization-building
Perspective: The paper supports the Annual Meeting theme by describing explicit, implicit and personal barriers for women researchers from the 1960s to the present day, even within a “women’s field” like education
Method: A biographical approach will traverse the opportunities, setbacks, and adaptations that resulted in a career in R&D in education. In particular, expectations for women faculty, both social and academic before the enactment of Title IX reveal how departure from accepted norms resulted in difficulties to be overcome. In this reflection, it will be shown that social context masked the undermining words and actions. The transitions over time will include experiences in teaching, research, and collaboration, in male-dominated institutions.
Data Sources: Examples consider tacit and overt opposition of those in academic leadership, government funding agencies, co-workers and academic collaborators, and students, (without personal identifiers) as well as supportive roles by individuals in power will be described. A synthesis of these experiences will illustrate dysfunctional and useful strategies.
Results: The results of this inquiry will identify difficulties still in the path of young researchers from protected groups. The challenges at any point, including those brought on by age, uncover and heighten the importance of positive rather than reactive strategy. The use of separatism as an approach to develop credibility and strength will be discussed.
Scholarly significance: Equal opportunity is still to be attained, both for students and for scholars. Although historical and presented by a white woman, even as institutional barriers were reduced, overt opposition transformed into less obvious but equally daunting obstacles. The identification of these from a different context may illuminate or question the challenges meeting researchers today.

Author

• Eva L. Baker, University of California - Los Angeles