AWARDS: Advancing Ways of Awarding Recognition in Disciplinary Societies Erin Cadwalader, Ph.D.

1. AWARDS: Advancing Ways of Awarding Recognition in Disciplinary Societies Erin Cadwalader, Ph.D. Phoebe S. Leboy Public Policy Fellow ADVANCE Grant #0930073

2. Awards in Disciplinary Societies • Awards are important to everyone for hiring, promotion, feeling appreciated • Anecdotally, women appeared • Under-represented in scholarly awards • Over-represented in service, mentoring, and teaching awards

3. Recognition of women’s scholarly achievements

4. Recognition of women’s scholarly achievements

5. Recognition of women’s scholarly achievements

6. Pioneer Societies

7. Why Do Societies Give Awards? • Recognize leaders and pioneers in a field • Highlight cutting edge research • Motivate and inspire younger scientists • Someone gave money for the award

8. Things to Consider about Awards • What is being rewarded? • Representing areas of research that are still being pursued or emerging fields, or are they outmoded? • Does name unconsciously deter people from applying for or receiving award? • Are they all named after long dead men or do they represent the diversity of the disciplinary society?

9. Inoculate Selection Committee Members Against Bias Evaluation of identical lab manager application package based on whether a male or female’s name was on top of the resume Moss-Racusin CA, et al. PNAS. 109 (41), 2012.

10. Use Gender Neutral Language • Avoid using words that are male or female-specific in association • Masculine: exceptional, analytical, talented, results • Feminine: conscientious, methodical, dependable • Be conscious of it in solicitations as well as letters of recommendations Schmader T, et al. Sex Roles. 57 (7-8), 2007.

11. Develop a Diverse Pool of Nominations • Solicitations: distribute broadly (via technology as well as print) • Committees: canvassing, women, and minority • Frequency: if the pool is always small, considering giving the award less often • Consider the name on the award • Define evaluation criteria, application materials required clearly

12. Committee Composition and Interactions • Better balance of genders, ethnicities • Greater variety of perspectives make better decisions • In person or via Skype best, rather than phone • Make sure there is enough time for everyone to speak • Rank candidates and submit via ballot, then discuss

13. Committee Composition and Interactions • Better balance of genders, ethnicities • Greater variety of perspectives make better decisions • In person or via Skype best, rather than phone • Make sure there is enough time for everyone to speak • Rank candidates and submit via ballot, then discuss

14. Evaluate Nominees Objectively • Discuss criteria being evaluated before looking at individual nominees • Establish a list of which qualities are most important • Make sure the candidates have correct qualifications, avoids cronyism • Are the pools refreshed annually?

15. Outcomes Thus Far… • AGU: UniPHY to identify networks of influence and connectivity • AMS: increased number of women in leadership, on committees • MAA: adopted double-blind review process for journals • SIAM: Women 15% of SIAM editorial board of 14 journals, doubled the number of women recognized as fellows • SfN: Nearly doubled number of women scholarly awards

16. New Societies • American Astronomical Society • American Economic Association • American Institute of Biological Sciences • Association for Psychological Science • American Physical Society • American Society of Plant Biologists • Botanical Society of America • Ecological Society of America • Entomological Society of America • Genetics Society of America • Sigma Xi

17. 1321 Duke Street Suite 210Alexandria, VA 22314(703) 894-4490 (phone) cadwalader@awis.org http://www.awis.org