5 ms·
My sister was just about the only woman in her engineering classes at Cornell. She was hired in the 70s (and continued doing consulting through the 90s) by a d
by patrickgzill 17y ago
My sister was just about the only woman in her engineering classes at Cornell.
She was hired in the 70s (and continued doing consulting through the 90s) by a designer of nuclear reactors doing programming, since she could understand both the engineering side (steam valves etc) and the programming side - she helped program the nuclear reactor control room simulator using Fortran.
Yet now she is a professor at a well-known university. The hours are easier, pay is as good or better, excellent benefits.
Given that, why beg women to join in something that doesn't pay as well and expects you to slave away during weekends and holidays when there is a crunch?
(edited to add: I think part of it may be that men (speaking generally) are more in love with the works of their hands, even if it doesn't benefit them directly; they can have pride in it years later. I am not sure that women necessarily have the same attitude towards material objects.)
- jgrahamc 17y agoGiven that, why beg women to join in something that doesn't pay as well and expects you to slave away during weekends and holidays when there is a crunch? Why rule out half the population?
- aswanson 17y agoIf it's a bad decision we should rule out as many as possible from making it.
- Tichy 17y agoYou mean women typically have the choice between becoming programmers and professors at well-known universities? Or in general, they don't become programmers because other jobs they opt for pay better? "I am not sure that women necessarily have the same attitude towards material objects" I suspect 90% of offerings on Etsy.com are from women? Haven't looked it up, but I am pretty sure it is a large fraction.
- cpr 17y agoPerhaps more women than men have the (good) instinct that making concrete things with your hands is better than making abstract things in your mind?
- Tichy 17y agoBetter in what way?
- Qz 17y ago"I am not sure that women necessarily have the same attitude towards material objects" This is one of those self-perpetuating falsehoods that people only say because they heard it somewhere else (which I guess I am now complicit in).
- aohtsab 17y ago> I am not sure that women necessarily have the same attitude towards material objects. Then clearly you haven't talked to enough women. Also, if you believe the only allure of programming is a poorly-paying job and terrible hours, then there are larger problems afoot.
- lutorm 17y agoFunny, Philip Greenspun has exactly the opposite take from you: http://philip.greenspun.com/careers/women-in-science http://philip.greenspun.com/careers/women-in-science