cover image The Woman Scientist

The Woman Scientist

Clarice Yentsch, C. M. Yentsch. Basic Books, $24.95 (271pp) ISBN 978-0-306-44131-8

Every profession should have a guide for women as pragmatic and thorough as this one for women in the sciences. Yentsch, a career-research scientist, and Sinderman ( Winning the Games Scientists Play ) leave to others the search for root reasons why few females enter scientific fields and examine instead, in interviews and case studies, the topology of science careers (mostly academic) as experienced by women. The authors cite some familiar difficulties: the ``invisible woman syndrome'' and the steep-sided pool of female research assistants. But they also compile results of surveys describing various forms of gender-based differential treatment in science arenas and offer commonsense suggestions for women in the working environment. With its explicit recommendations, the book could be the basis of a policy manual at any institution. (May)