Climbing the Tech Ladder: Obstacles and Solutions for Mid-Level Women in Information Technology

Silicon Valley has captured the national imagination as a place where innovative thinking leads to valuable new technologies and products. Yet when it comes to providing opportunities for women, reports suggest that high-tech firms lag sharply behind those in other sectors. The overall percentage of women in the IT workforce is on the decline, from 41 percent in 1996 to 32 percent in 2004. Women in technical leadership positions are even scarcer, comprising only one-fifth of science and engineering managers. In addition, recent statistics show that women constitute a modest 9 percent of the Boards of Directors at high-tech Fortune 500 companies, as compared to 12.4 percent among all Fortune 500 companies.

Mid-career is a critical point for both women on the technical ladder and the high-tech firms in which they are employed. Women face the greatest barriers to advancement at mid-career, a point when the loss of their technical talent is most costly to an organization. The Clayman Institute for Gender Research at Stanford University and the Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology (with the National Center for Women and Information Technology) propose a study of women scientists and engineers in Silicon Valley IT firms at mid-career. The study is designed to help companies better understand technical women's career opportunities and constraints in the IT industry. Our research team will examine key barriers faced by technical women at mid-career, and identify specific practices and policies that promote career advancement.

For more information about this study, please contact our research team members:

At the Clayman Institute:

PI: Professor Londa Schiebinger
Research Director: Dr. Andrea Davies Henderson
Advisors: Debra Meyerson, Associate Professor of Education and, by courtesy, in the Graduate School of Business
Sheri Sheppard, Professor of Mechanical Engineering

At The Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology:

President and CEO: Dr. Telle Whitney
Vice President of Programs and Operations: Cindy Goral
Research Associate: Caroline Simard

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Home People News Events Fellowship Programs Research Studies Grants and Prizes Publications Art at the Institute Links Support our Work	Climbing the Tech Ladder: Obstacles and Solutions for Mid-Level Women in Information Technology Silicon Valley has captured the national imagination as a place where innovative thinking leads to valuable new technologies and products. Yet when it comes to providing opportunities for women, reports suggest that high-tech firms lag sharply behind those in other sectors. The overall percentage of women in the IT workforce is on the decline, from 41 percent in 1996 to 32 percent in 2004. Women in technical leadership positions are even scarcer, comprising only one-fifth of science and engineering managers. In addition, recent statistics show that women constitute a modest 9 percent of the Boards of Directors at high-tech Fortune 500 companies, as compared to 12.4 percent among all Fortune 500 companies. Mid-career is a critical point for both women on the technical ladder and the high-tech firms in which they are employed. Women face the greatest barriers to advancement at mid-career, a point when the loss of their technical talent is most costly to an organization. The Clayman Institute for Gender Research at Stanford University and the Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology (with the National Center for Women and Information Technology) propose a study of women scientists and engineers in Silicon Valley IT firms at mid-career. The study is designed to help companies better understand technical women's career opportunities and constraints in the IT industry. Our research team will examine key barriers faced by technical women at mid-career, and identify specific practices and policies that promote career advancement. For more information about this study, please contact our research team members: At the Clayman Institute: PI: Professor Londa Schiebinger Research Director: Dr. Andrea Davies Henderson Advisors: Debra Meyerson, Associate Professor of Education and, by courtesy, in the Graduate School of Business Sheri Sheppard, Professor of Mechanical Engineering At The Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology: President and CEO: Dr. Telle Whitney Vice President of Programs and Operations: Cindy Goral Research Associate: Caroline Simard
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