Paper 1.5:
WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD FOR THE SOCIETY AND THE PROFESSION AS WE ACCESS THOSE IN THE EDUCATIONAL PIPELINE?  

Howard A. Friedman*, NOAA/AOML-Hurricane Research Division, Miami, Florida 33149

Fiona Horsfall, NOAA/NWS-Tropical Prediction Center, Miami, Florida 33165

Erica VanCoverden, NOAA/AOML-Office of the Director, Miami, Florida 33149

1. Introduction

The composition of students in the educational pipeline are examined with respect to the number of women and minorities enrolled in colleges and universities that offer degree programs in atmospheric, oceanographic and hydrologic sciences. Data from surveys of AMS members, conducted in 1998 (Seitter 1999), 1993, 1990, and 1975 (Zevin and Seitter 1994) and, from information supplied by colleges and universities (AMS/UCAR, 1998), are examined to see if some change has taken place, especially with respect to women and minorities in the science. Barriers to a more diverse composition in the profession are discussed. Some programs that show promise of making the work force more diverse are mentioned.

2. Information Sources

The primary sources of information used in this study were: (1) data from the 1998 AMS survey of its members (Seitter 1999); (2) a statistical summary of recent (1995-1997) college/university graduates with BS/BA and MS/Ph.D. degrees in meteorology/atmospheric science with respect to ethnicity and gender (AMS/UCAR 1998) -- 86 schools reporting; (3) a statistical summary of students currently (1997-1998) enrolled in BS/BA and MS/Ph.D. programs in meteorology/atmospheric science (AMS/UCAR 1998) -- 77 schools reporting; and (4) summary data from AMS member surveys conducted in 1975, 1990, and 1993 (Zevin and Seitter 1994).

3. Analysis

It comes as no surprise that data from AMS surveys conducted in 1975, 1990, 1993 and 1998 and, from college/university reports of recent graduates and currently enrolled students in meteorology/atmospheric science programs show that the percentage of Caucasian males and females [C(M+F)] is significantly greater than those of all other groups combined (Fig. 1).

Does the data show any promise of future change with respect to increasing the diversity within the profession?

Let us examine the percent total for each ethnic category (Fig. 2). Here, percent data are presented by ethnic group, where: AA = African American; NA = Native American; H = Hispanic; AP = Asian/Pacific Islanders; O = "Other." Categories or data sources are: Majors = current students; Grads = recent graduates; AMS 98-99, AMS 93, AMS 90 and AMS 75 = results of AMS surveys conducted in those years. Data presented in the rows of the legend are shown for each individual ethnic group. Data in columns are for each ethnic group by data source.

The data shows a gradual increase in the number of AA (total M+F) from the 1975 AMS survey (0.5%) to the number currently in the pipeline (2.1%). H (M+F) and AP (M+F) ethnic groups also showed increased percent representation (0.4% to 2.1%) and (3.2% to 6.4%), respectively; while NA (M+F) and O (M+F) showed declines using the same instruments (0.9% to 0.2%) and (1.8% to 0.8%), respectively.

Fig. 3 looks at the same data but presents it by comparing changes within each ethnic group. That is, data in columns are for each ethnic group. Scanning the row data provides information about percentages of each ethnic group by data source. Since the rows (top to bottom) represent results by data source, changes can be interpreted as taking place as a function of time.

Figs. 4 and 5 show similar views of the data relative to percent males. That is, in Fig. 4, the percentage of males in each ethnic group to the total number of males in all groups (excluding Caucasian males) are shown in columns. The row data reflects ethnicity by data source. Fig. 5 reverses the presentation of the same data. AA (M), H(M) and AP (M) all show increased percentages with time: 0.6% to 1.9%, 1.4% to 2.0% and, 4.5% to 5.8%, respectively. NA (M) and O (M) show very small percent changes: 0.3% to 0.2% and 0.6% to 0.7%, respectively.

Figs. 6 and 7 present the data for percent females to total females in the same manner. Females in all ethnic groups have made gains since the 1975 survey. AA (F) have increased from 1.6% to 2.7%; NA (F) a very small increase from 0.2% to 0.3%; H (F) from 1.0% to 2.5%; and AP (F) from 5.9% to 8.1%.

Is our profession dominated by males? The answer is "Yes" (see Fig. 8). However, since the 1975 survey, the percentage of females has gradually increased from 9.3% to 23.6%, with the largest jump in the increase among recent graduates and students currently in the education pipeline.

4. Barriers to a more diverse composition in the profession

An admittedly cursory reading of anecdotal responses to the AMS 1998 survey (AMS 1999) seems to indicate that several barriers still exist to developing a more diverse composition in the profession. Despite anti-discrimination statues and affirmative action efforts designed to diversify the labor force and end discrimination, minorities and women currently in the educational pipeline will be subjected to some degree of discrimination, especially where there are efforts to end affirmative action in college/university admissions and in job selection.

A significant number of AMS members suggested that educational outreach to the grade school population would aid in removing the barriers that have stereotyped the scientific profession in the past to exclude women and minorities. As more school-aged children are made aware of the possibilities for all, more will be able to take advantage of opportunities that have historically either omitted or limited women and minorities. Education outreach efforts of this type will not immediately be reflected in survey statistics, but in the long term, they will contribute to diversity within the profession.

Unlike EEO and affirmative action, which are defined by law, diversity is a policy of inclusion. Anecdotal responses to the survey (AMS 1999) also identify other barriers specific to women of all races. These include a lack of flexibility in the work place for women to meet the needs of their families. Women are often required to choose between their professional goals and having a family; while men are allowed both without fear of discrimination. In the United States, there is currently no standard Federal "maternity leave" policy even though women carry and bear the children. Many consider the options available to women with regard to maternity leave to be discriminatory. These options frequently subject women to undue stress and hardship. Although private industry has taken the lead in this area by offering "maternity leave" as well as "paternity leave," many government and academic institutions housing atmospheric, oceanographic and hydrologic sciences have as yet to institute such programs. Women entering the pipeline are aware of this barrier and, hence, until it is addressed, it will continue to adversely affect the statistics of women in the profession.

On the brighter side, efforts to diversify the profession are currently underway. Educational outreach is actively being pursued by several agencies in the Federal sector. For example, NOAA employees actively participate in school science fairs and career day programs that enable them to reach students in grades K-12. Several offices employ students under the SCEP program (formerly called cooperative education). Within NOAA, efforts are underway with several minority-serving institutions, including HBCU's, HSI's and tribal colleges. NASA administers the ORISE program for NOAA. This program offers students research opportunities in the math, science and engineering fields. And, many minority and women high school students are participating in intern programs with NOAA. NASA, UCAR/NCAR and the Department of Defense all have some programs to provide career information to students from K through college.

5. Summary and conclusions

Perhaps there's as much or more to be gained from analyzing the anecdotal data from the 1998 AMS survey than from looking at percentage data from the surveys of 1975, 1990, 1993 and 1998, alone. That said, and noting that anecdotal information from the 1998 survey was not always favorable, it appears that the AMS has recognized a need to attract minorities and women to our profession. When asked, "Should the AMS Board on Women and Minorities address work place issues?", the sense of the members was "Yes."

Examination of the "statistics" at hand shows that some progress has been made to diversify the composition of the profession. Current education outreach/awareness can improve the percentage of minorities and women in the pipeline; sensitivity and sexual harassment training for managers, supervisors and employees, EEO and diversity programs can be useful to keep the people that enter the profession from the pipeline as productive members for years to come.

Acknowledgments. The authors wish to thank Keith Seitter (AMS) for providing data from the 1998 AMS survey of its members and, for his suggestions on its use with respect to examining pipeline issues. Discussions with Sim Aberson (NOAA/AOML/HRD) helped to clarify the pipeline issue within the context of diversity of the AMS membership.

References

AMS, 1999: Survey of Society Membership and Issues in the Marketplace -- Survey Results. Report by Data Capture Solutions, Newburyport, MA, April.

AMS/UCAR, 1998: 1998 Curricula in the Atmospheric, Oceanic, Hydrologic, and Related Sciences: Colleges and Universities in the United States and Canada, Amer. Meteor. Soc., 567 pp.

Seitter, K. l., 1999: Personal communication (10/12/99), AMS Survey -- 1998-1999 Data.

Zevin, S. F, and K. L. Seitter, 1994: Results of Survey of Society Membership: Demographics. Bull. Amer. Meteor. Soc., 75, 1855-1866.

Andrew Humphrey, Chief Meteorologist at WUPW-TV Fox Toledo, and the 4th Grade of McComb School in McComb, Ohio.