Paleonet: Professor in Earth Science, Geography or Atmospheric Science (Women only) @UniMelb

Thu Mar 24 02:51:57 UTC 2022

Unfortunately, you can’t bring a knife to a gunfight. We have a dismal Higher Education situation here in Australia with female representation in the Natural and Physical Sciences at Associate Professor and Professorial levels (combined) at about 25% (with males at about 75%).

This graph from The Science in Australia Gender Equity (SAGE) website (https://sciencegenderequity.org.au/about/gender-equity-in-higher-education/#tab-15051)
illustrates the situation:

[This image shows a line chart with 4 lines. The chart compares the proportion of men and women, by level, in the natural and physical sciences in 2014 and 2019. The horizontal axis has 6 levels: undergraduate student, postgraduate student, Level A academics, Level B academics, Level C academics, Above Level C academics. The vertical axis shows percentage of gender at each level. The category legend has 4 items: 2019 male percentage, 2019 female percentage, 2014 male percentage, 2014 female percentage. There is gender balance from undergraduate to Level B academic levels. From Level C onwards though, the proportion of women drops below 40%. The gender gap at Level C and above narrowed slightly in 2019.]

The SAGE website also states that ‘systemic barriers have a negative effect on the attraction, retention and progression of women in academic and research careers’. We don’t seem to be very good at implementing the structural change needed to right this imbalance, despite having maternity leave and other measures.

Sometimes, it just seems like the only thing that can be done is to provide room at the table for underrepresented groups.  This is no different from the current US Supreme Court nomination – it’s not that Uni Melbourne are discriminating against men, they are trying to seek balance for a group of people who clearly are as well qualified as the rest, but for historical and current reasons are being wrongly excluded.

Moreover, this is an appointment at the highest level in Australian academia – Level E Professor.  The appointment is not at the more introductory levels where there still seems to be parity among men and women in Australia (see graph).  But something negative is happening that women in Australian higher education are not breaking through to the higher academic levels.

John Pandolfi

From: Paleonet <paleonet-bounces+j.pandolfi=uq.edu.au at paleonet.org> on behalf of Cédric Aria <cedric.aria at protonmail.com>
Reply to: Cédric Aria <cedric.aria at protonmail.com>, PaleoNet <paleonet at paleonet.org>
Date: Wednesday, 23 March 2022 at 10:22 am
To: PaleoNet <paleonet at paleonet.org>
Subject: Re: Paleonet: Professor in Earth Science, Geography or Atmospheric Science (Women only) @UniMelb

I did not want to voice it over the entire mailing list at first - and initially expressed my owe to the sender -, but it is so appalling, unethical and philosophically naïve that I can hardly stay silent. You don't fight a history of patriarchy and a galaxy of discriminations by creating more discrimination. Because it is ethically wrong and because men aspiring to a scientific career from any social background should not be taken hostage of what some of their forefathers did.

If you want equity, then respect what this really means.

Cedric
_______________________________________________________

Dr. Cédric Aria
cedric.aria at protonmail.com

------- Original Message -------
On Wednesday, March 23rd, 2022 at 7:52 AM, Patricia J Standring <patty.standring at utexas.edu> wrote:

There is an explanation in the qualification section of the attached brochure in the original email:

"The Faculty of Science and the School of Geography, Earth
and Atmospheric Sciences is committed to improving the
representation of women and other under represented groups
at all academic levels. This professorial position is restricted
to applicants who identify as women, in line with the special
measure provided for under section 12 of the Equal Opportunity
Act 2010 (Vic)."

I hope this helps!
Aspiring well-qualified woman,
Patty

On Tue, Mar 22, 2022, 18:28 Clair Ossian <clastic at verizon.net<mailto:clastic at verizon.net>> wrote:
How do you get away with a blatantly discriminatory deal like this...women only? I hope you find a well-qualified woman, since that is your wish, but good grief...this is the twenty-first century.

Cheers...Clair Ossian

-----Original Message-----
From: Anne-Marie Tosolini <a.tosolini at unimelb.edu.au<mailto:a.tosolini at unimelb.edu.au>>
To: PaleoNet <paleonet at paleonet.org<mailto:paleonet at paleonet.org>>
Sent: Tue, Mar 22, 2022 5:33 pm
Subject: Paleonet: Professor in Earth Science, Geography or Atmospheric Science (Women only) @UniMelb
Dear Paleonet,

Applications are now open for a newly created position:

Professor in Earth Science, Geography or Atmospheric Science (Women only)

School of Geography, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences,
The University of Melbourne,
Australia

Brochure attached with link to apply here:

Click to apply<https://jobs.unimelb.edu.au/caw/en/job/908285/professor-in-geography-earth-science-or-atmospheric-science-women-only>

---
Dr Anne-Marie Tosolini
Palaeobotanist,
First Year Coordinator,
School of Earth Sciences,
The University of Melbourne
VIC 3010
AUSTRALIA
Email: a.tosolini at unimelb.edu.au<mailto:a.tosolini at unimelb.edu.au>

*Work days: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday

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