We read with interest and empathy about the first International Conference on Women in Physics, held in Paris in March (Physics Today, Physics Today 0031-9228 55 5 2002 24 https://doi.org/10.1063/1.1485569 May 2002, page 24 ). Many of the points raised in the article coincided with those expressed by participants at a December 1997 meeting held in Bangkok, Thailand, and sponsored by the World Meteorological Organization, on the participation of women in meteorology and hydrology. 1 Like physics, these professions suffer from a gross underrepresentation of women. A 1996 survey of WMO member nations found that, on average, only 1 in 5 meteorologists and hydrologists in the responding nations was a woman. 1,2 In the US, the figure was only about 1 in 10. 3
Both meetings expressed common themes:
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the similar challenges facing women scientists from different countries
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the need for culturally sensitive solutions to address the underrepresentation of women in science
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the larger proportion of younger women students and professionals compared with older professionals, which may indicate either a “leaky pipeline” or a trend toward greater gender balance
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the difficulty of breaking through the glass ceiling, as shown by the relatively larger number of women at junior levels than in senior positions, as compared with men
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the cumulative negative effect of numerous minor obstacles in women’s career paths
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the need to include men in working toward increasing the participation of women in our profession.
Meeting participants recognized that progress will depend on the attitudes and actions of individuals, national institutions, and international agencies. Therefore, separate but complementary sets of recommendations were directed toward women meteorologists and hydrologists, national meteorological and hydrological services, and the WMO. The recommendations focused on improving career opportunities and the work environment and on increasing the participation of women in the activities of the WMO, including its secretariat in Geneva, Switzerland.
The WMO is currently planning a second Conference on Women in Meteorology for 24–27 March 2003, at which participants will examine what progress, if any, has been made in the past five years. The conference will focus on increasing the participation of women in the organization’s activities and on ways to accelerate and track progress on this issue. We look forward to sharing our experiences with the broader physics community.
