THE EXCEPTIONS

A powerful story of 16 women who “upset the usual assumptions about why there were so few women in science and math” in the U.S.

In 1999, New York Times journalist Zernike broke the story for the Boston Globe. As she recalls, the president of MIT admitted, “I have always believed that contemporary gender discrimination within universities is part reality and part perception…but I now understand that reality is by far the greater part of the balance.” The author chronicles the events through the lives of several MIT scientists, mostly Nancy Hopkins (b. 1943), a brilliant student who fell in love with biology, obtained a doctorate, and published groundbreaking research. Recruited by MIT at the dawn of affirmative action in the 1970s, she rose to become a tenured professor. Zernike writes that early-career women scientists have relatively few complaints, but they understandably chafe as they reach the top to discover that senior scientists compete viciously for status, grants, salary, publication, lab space, and assistants. The author demonstrates how the university system has always favored men. Much of the book recounts quarrels among professors and staff and the rampant sexism within the university system. Frustrated with the way she was treated, Hopkins discussed matters with other female colleagues and discovered that they were also fuming. As scientists, they gathered evidence showing how women professors had lower salaries and were promoted more slowly, given smaller laboratory space, omitted from important committees, and overlooked by the informal, male-dominated networks essential for career advancement. Perhaps surprisingly, most university officials agreed that the evidence revealed a problem and began making corrections even before the media took notice, producing front-page stories nationwide, with most praising MIT for admitting its error so quickly. “Practically overnight,” writes Zernike, “MIT became the pacesetter for promoting gender equality in higher education.” Since then, matters have improved.

A fascinating, heartening account of successful advocacy in the scientific and academic communities.