优秀女科学家的主要障碍：组建家庭

    艾波琳不得不将自己的孩子送到一家位置偏僻的日托机构，因为斯坦福大学附近的日托价格都太高。而欧莱雅的奖金则可以让她选择一个离自己更近的日托机构。她说道：“这是我在自己生活中面临的问题，但却影响到了我的工作，因为我不得不每天开车行驶很远的距离。这妨碍了我的研究进展速度。”奥康奈尔表示，这笔奖金使她可以有更多时间陪伴女儿，因为她不必再每天花数个小时写经费申请书。写经费申请书是学术科学家工作中最无趣的部分。

    然而，金钱带来的帮助只有这么多。在学术科学界还存在许多深层次的性别歧视，这需要改变文化。例如，今年早些时候发表的一项研究发现，在进行野外工作时，64%的女性遭遇过性骚扰，其中有五分之一曾遭遇性侵犯。

    男性主导的实验室环境，以一种更加微妙的方式影响着女性的日常生活。艾波琳描述了自己如何与男同事的陈腐观点斗争。她的男同事们认为，她在学术上无法与他们媲美。而且她每两个小时要去一次哺乳室，让他们更坚信这种观点。她说道：“在几乎全是男性的化学系，给孩子哺乳会让你非常尴尬。在这样的环境下工作很有挑战性；最终，你必须证明自己能把工作做好。”

    欧莱雅奖获得者认为，要解决这些问题，唯一的方法是吸引更多女性进入科研领域。艾波琳计划利用部分奖金，招聘女性研究助理。奥康奈尔则邀请来自女子科学俱乐部（Science Club for Girls）的高中生，帮助开展研究项目。

    艾波琳和奥康奈尔都相信，如果更多女性科学家能向年轻女性们证明，她们在从事尖端科学研究的同时，也可以组建家庭，这一趋势必将被扭转。艾波琳说道，尽管面临巨大困难，但成功的女性有责任为其他女同胞扫清道路。她说道：“我以前去参加会议，经常遇到只有自己一位女化学家的情况，这令我感到恐惧。但我突然意识到，我在那里代表的是其他女性；我必须竭尽全力为她们创造机会。”（财富中文网）

    译者：刘进龙/汪皓

    Eberlin has had to take her baby to an inconveniently located daycare facility because the options near Stanford are too expensive. The L’Oreal grant, though, will allow her to afford a closer alternative. “It was a problem I was facing in my personal life that bled into my work because I had to drive so far every day,” she says. “It was slowing me down.” O’Connell, for her part, says the money will allow her to spend more time with her daughter because she will no longer need spend hours a day writing grant proposals, which is one of the less glamorous parts of an academic scientist’s life.

    However, money can only help so much. There are many deep-rooted forms of gender discrimination in academic science that require cultural change. For instance, a study released earlier this year found that while doing fieldwork, 64% of women scientists have been sexually harassed and one in five has been a victim of sexual assault.

    In more subtle ways, the male-dominated environment in research labs affects women’s everyday lives. Eberlin describes having to battle stereotypes from male colleagues who assume she is not as academically equipped as they are. These perceptions are only made worse when she has to visit the lactation room every two hours. “In the chemistry department—a workplace that is almost entirely male—trying to pump milk is so awkward,” she says. “It can be challenging; in the end, you have to show what you can do through your work.”

    The recipients of the L’Oreal award believe that the only way to tackle these problems is to bring more women into the field. Eberlin plans to use part of her funding to hire female research assistants. O’Connell is inviting high school students from the Science Club for Girls organization to help with research projects.

    Both Eberlin and O’Connell have faith that the tides can turn quickly if more female scientists demonstrate to young women that they can have a family while also pursuing cutting edge research. Eberlin says that the women who have been successful, despite the odds, have a responsibility to make the path easier for others. “I used to go into meetings where I was the only female chemist and feel intimidated,” she says. “But it dawned on me that I was there representing other women; I need to do my best to create opportunities for them.”