The glass ceiling: in theory women swell ranks of science, but remain invisible at the top

[I]n extensive interviews with women at all stages of their scientific careers and in a broad variety of disciplines, the researchers insisted that in fact some of the difficulties they encountered were peculiar to their trade, and that certain characteristics of the scientific culture were likelier to impede women's progress than to propel it.Among those characteristics is the extreme insularity of science, and the need to be at the center of the rumor mill if one is to hear of vital new results before competitors do ...They also said they were given far fewer chances to present their findings and ideas to powerful audiences of their peers, a key method of winning converts and scientific influence ...[M]any female scientists believe that when conference organizers put together their roster of speakers, deciding who are the most respected elders, or the hottest young turks, women seem to come to mind rarely...Despite the greater opportunities in the lower ranks, women remain poorly represented in the upper echelons...'Women appear invisible to men,' said Dr. Margaret Davis ... 'If you ask men for the names of seminar or symposium speakers, the names you get back are almost invariably male. If you ask women, you get both male and female names.' ...'We've got lots of women on the panel,' [Dr. Darrell S. Rigel] said. But on checking the exact number, he laughed nervously. 'Oh, wait a minute. Only 2 out of 28. Hmm. It never occurred to me. I just don't choose people on the basis of gender. But this does raise my consciousness.'...