The good news: a Penn State researcher has confirmed what we already know intuitively — greater gender equity and integration in science and engineering teams fosters greater productivity and innovation.
The bad news: a Penn State researcher has confirmed what we know intuitively — women’s expertise is often underutilized and undervalued in science and engineering teams, leading to less-than-optimal productivity and innovation.
Aparna Joshi, an associate professor of management and organization, surveyed research teams at a large public university (not necessarily Penn State) working in a range of STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) disciplines including computer science, bio-related fields, civil and electrical engineering, etc. She asked every team member to rank the expertise and contributions of everyone else on the team. Returning to the same team about two years later, she queried them on their collaboration and measured their success by indicators such as products, publications and patents.
The teams that had higher perceptions of their female members and better utilized their expertise were more productive. The disconnect, she says, lies in team members’ inability to accurately perceive expertise. She found a tendency among male and female team members to perceive the expertise of fellow female members at a lower level than their male counterparts, despite the level of education those women had achieved. Team members’ perceptions of their colleagues’ expertise is critical because those perceived as experts are offered more opportunities to perform and lead.
As she moves into further research on the subject, Joshi suggests that universities and research institutions can boost women’s perceived stature by creating “visible symbols of success,” namely more senior women and faculty members. She also endorses Sheryl Sandberg’s Lean In philosophy.
“This is more than a moral issue,” Joshi says. “It fosters innovation.”
Coverage of STEM advancements in Pennsylvania is made possible through a partnership with Harrisburg University of Science and Technology.
Source: Aparna Joshi, Penn State
Writer: Elise Vider