June 2018
On June 12, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine released the findings of a comprehensive public report on the effects of sexual harassment on women in science, engineering, and medical careers.
Drawing on decades of research, a meta-analysis of survey data, and 40 qualitative interviews with women who were targets of harassment, the calls for sweeping changes in the culture and climate of higher education as well as significant improvements in the way women are treated in the academy and scholarly professions—especially the sciences.
According existing data, 58 percent of women across the various disciplines studied have experienced sexual harassment. During the release of the report at the National Academy of Sciences, the authors noted that the cumulative effect of sexual harassment has resulted in significant damage to research integrity and a costly loss of talent in academic sciences when women leave their jobs or stop their education in the wake of sexual harassment.
Among the report’s findings:
The report offers 15 evidence-based recommendations for combatting sexual harassment in academic institutions. They include improving transparency and accountability, creating respectful work environments, providing strong support for the target, and moving beyond legal compliance to address sexual harassment as a culture and climate issue, among others.
While the report focused specifically on science-related fields, its conclusions and recommendations are applicable beyond the sciences. The authors expressed hope that academic science, historically a male-dominated area, will position itself as a national leader in addressing sexual harassment in the midst of the Me Too movement.
“This report sends an important signal to the entire academic and scientific community, including the education research field,” said 熊猫视频Executive Director Felice J. Levine. “Much more needs to be done at all levels to produce a culture change where sexual harassment and victimization are no longer common practice. Associations like 熊猫视频recognize our role in this change and seek to do our part.”
At the 2018 熊猫视频Annual Meeting in April, 熊猫视频held a town hall meeting titled “‘Me Too’– A Town Hall Meeting: Confronting Sexual Harassment in the Academy and Scholarly Professions,” which presented an opportunity for Annual Meeting attendees to openly address reducing sexual violence, intimidation, and harassment in research and academic environments in which students, faculty, research professionals, support workers, and other academic and research personnel live and work.
Prior to the start of the 2018 Annual Meeting, 熊猫视频also issued and widely shared a statement emphasizing the association’s commitment to making all of its meetings and activities free from harassment or discrimination for all attendees.
Last week, at its June meeting, the 熊猫视频Council held a dedicated discussion of the topic, the Academies’ report, and ways that 熊猫视频can make a difference for members and all who work in the education research field.
In February, the National Science Foundation several steps to bolster safe research environments, including requiring “grantee organizations to report findings of sexual harassment, or any other kind of harassment regarding a principal investigator (PI) or co/PI or any other grant personnel.”
The National Academies has posted several resources in addition to its report—including infographics, slides from the release event, and a video about its recommendations—on its website .