September 9, 2003
A: FROM MENTOR BARB KONTOGIANNIS IN CO
Well, I don't know if this is the "best" invention, but the changes in women's clothing, and what is considered normal/acceptable has been quite an improvement. It's much easier to be a woman in a technical field, such as manufacturing, construction, or operations when you are wearing the "uniform" of others in the field. I think nothing of wearing pants to work every day, and steel-toed boots and a hard hat when I'm in the field. Forget the heavily shoulder-padded power-suits of the 80's, dressing for comfort, mobility, and protection from the environment is important in many technical fields, and the changes over the last few decades have made that possible and acceptable. I can't imagine trying to work in a full-length dress with a corset and bustle, as women wore 100 years ago.

For the bonus point - after thinking about this, the best invention/improvement for me, in the struggle of wanting to do it all, would be a way to decrease the amount of sleep I really need to function to full potential. Having a couple extra hours a day to be with family and/or work while my family is sleeping, would be wonderful! It seems like most women I know need more sleep to thrive than men. Maybe that's just a perception and not a reality, but when time is so precious, something has to give in the balance of it all. Often to advance further in a technical field, or any field for that matter, spending hours on work assignments or keeping up to date in your field takes extra time. Men tend to spend less time with family or household related matters (not always, but in general). If I could sleep less, yet be just as refreshed, I could spend the time I need to at work, and still get everything else done too.

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September 8, 2003
A: FROM MENTOR ANDREA GUNTHER IN WA
I am a structural engineer working on aircraft. I
have only been in my profession for 6 years. From
what I have seen and what I know about past
experiences of other women, I would say that the
greatest improvement is in expectations that people
have about women's abilities. In the past it was
assumed that women could not do well with math and
science because of some built in inferiority. Now,
women are treated as having an equal possibility of
possessing math and science skills and talents. This
is becoming more than just something we know in our
heads. People are actually treating women at work and
in the classroom with greater respect. I recently saw
a clip from an old episode of Candid Camera where the
joke being pulled on some airline passengers was the
fact that the pilot was a women. At that time it was
such a ludicrous idea that it was funny to think it
was possible. There are still very few women pilots,
but we know women possess the skills to become a pilot
if she chooses it as a career.

The next step will be for women to have these
expectations of themselves. Even in this
"enlightened" time, my college engineering classes
were filled with predominantly men. I think that this
is not because women had less of a chance of success,
but because they did not feel that the subject matter
was interesting or that somehow this wasn't the type
of career for them. I saw that the sciences
(chemistry, biology, physics) were much more balanced.
I hope that engineering will soon attract women in
the same way.
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September 3, 2003
A: FROM MENTOR ROSE CLARK IN PA
I am a Ph.D. chemist and have seen many changes in the profession since my graduate work (completed in 1995). The biggest improvement that I have found is in the number of women that are going into chemistry. I have attended conferences as a graduate student and was one of four women in a room of 50 men. In 2003, I have found the number of women to be significant (30 to 40% women). One issue that is not changing as quickly is the number of women in the highest positions. The next best improvement that should happen so that women can be successful is for employers to recognize that women are as smart and hard working as men. I have know many women that are brilliant and have dedicated their entire lives to their careers. These women move to the top with the men who dedicate their lives to their careers. On the other hand, their are many more brilliant women who choose to take a larger portion of their time to dedicate to their family. These women are hard working and are actually do two major jobs; however they will not move up the cooperate ladder (university ladder) as quickly. In my opinion, your sister makes a good point with men having babies, if along with the labor comes the maternal instinct and nurturing. I always fill guilty for leaving my two boys at home with grandma to go to work. The only reason that I do is because I love chemistry and I love teaching. You have to find the balance that works for you to make you happy.
Best Wishes on Achieving Your Goals,