Panel Discussion: Follow-Up Study on the Leaky Pipeline Phenomenon

Articles on the Leaky Pipeline Phenomenon and on the Panel

Diskussion über Frauenkarrieren in der Wissenschaft, UZH News, 19.06.2023
“Helpful findings”, UZH News, 17 May 2023

Abstract

The higher the career stage in academia, the lower the proportion of women. Dubbed the “leaky pipeline”, this phenomenon has been a matter of concern to the University of Zurich for a long time. Why is UZH losing highly qualified and academically inclined young women, particularly during and after their PhDs? Which support measures are effective, and which aren’t? To answer these questions, the Executive Board of the University commissioned sociologist Katja Rost and economist Margit Osterloh to conduct a study on the leaky pipeline topic. This study yielded some surprising findings, which the two researchers investigated in-depth in their own initial follow-up study.

UZH has now organized a panel event to discuss key study findings, structural mechanisms that negatively affect academic careers as well as gender-specific career paths and the attractiveness of academic careers in general from different perspectives. The communication of the study and the ensuing public debate will also be addressed.

Participants:

• Elisabeth Stark, Vice President Research UZH
• Katja Rost, study author and Professor of Sociology UZH
• Margit Osterloh, study author and Professor Emerita of Business Administration UZH
• Josef Zweimüller, Professor of Economics UZH
• Elsbeth Stern, Professor of Empirical Research on Learning and Instruction ETH Zurich
• Fabienne E. Meier, Partner at Knight Gianella executive search consultancy firm
• Markus Theunert, General Manager of maenner.ch
• Philip Zimmermann, Co-President of the Association of Junior Researchers of the University of Zurich (VAUZ)
• Seraina Eisele, VSUZH

Chair: Esther Girsberger, Journalist/Author