Study Finds Women Biological Scientists Have More Success With Assistant Professor Interviews Than Male Peers

In recent years, women biological scientists who applied for assistant professor positions have been more likely to receive a job offer than their male peers, according to a new article published in bioRxiv.

For their study, the authors surveyed 449 scientists who applied for an assistant professor job between 2019 and 2022. Despite male applicants having, on average, slightly more first-author publications than women, over two-thirds of women applicants received at least one job offer, compared to around half of their male peers. Transgender or gender-nonconforming scholars were also more likely than men to receive a job offer for an early-career biological science faculty position.

In addition to gender differences, the report found job candidates who submitted more applications and/or had a more senior academic position were more successful in obtaining a job offer. In contrast, candidates who were first-generation college students, held multiple prior postdoctoral positions, were older in age, and/or those who resided outside of North America were less successful in receiving a faculty position.

The report’s authors included researchers with affiliations at Midwestern University in Arizona, the University of Michigan, Harvard Medical School, the University of Kansas, Virginia Tech, the University of North Dakota, the University of Arizona, Southern Illinois University, and Carleton University in Canada.

Related Articles

Latest News

Data Shows High Attrition Rates for Women in STEM Degree Programs

For women who began their four-year college career in a STEM discipline, 14 percent dropped out of college and 32 percent switched to a non-STEM major before earning their degree.

Monique Guillory Named Ninth President of Dillard University

Dr. Guillory has served as Dillard University's interim president for the past seven months. Her background includes over three decades of higher education administration experience.

Lynne Coy-Organ Is the First Woman President of Husson University

Lynne Coy-Organ has been named the first woman president of Husson University in Maine. She has served as the university's provost and senior vice president for academic affairs for the past 15 years.

Donna Hedgepath Will Be the First Woman President of Wayland Baptist University

Current provost of Campbellsville University in Kentucky, Donna Hedgepath, has been named president of Wayland Baptist University in Texas, making her the first woman to be selected for the position.

Three Women Scholars Appointed to Provost Positions

The new provosts are Elizabeth Dumont at the University of California, Merced, Marguerite Giguette at Xavier University in New Orleans, and Margaret Brown Marsden at Midwestern State University in Texas.

MOSDOH – Dean of the Missouri School of Dentistry & Oral Health

The dean serves as the chief academic and administrative officer for MOSDOH, leading a mission-driven dental school known for innovation, community partnerships, and service to the underserved.

Vice President for Administrative Services and Chief Financial Officer

The successful candidate will have a strong financial and administrative background and demonstrated ability to excel in a fast-paced, dynamic and complex community college that values integrity, excellence, empowerment, inclusiveness, collaboration and stewardship.

Instructional Professor in Law, Letters, and Society (Open Rank)

The Social Sciences Collegiate Division at the University of Chicago is now accepting applications for a full-time Instructional Professor who will teach in the program in Law, Letters, and Society.

Instructor, Economics

The Kenneth C. Griffin Department of Economics at the University of Chicago invites applications for tenure-track faculty positions in Economics at the Instructor position level to begin in the 2025-26 academic year and is renewable for up to three years.

Vice Chancellor for Student Success

The Vice Chancellor for Student Success will be a strategic, student-centered, data-informed, systems thinker who thrives in a fast paced, high-achieving environment.