In today's world, women are increasingly taking the place of leaders, so they have to be active, focused, resistant to stress, have a high level of self-regulation, and be able to work in a team. So, we can see how women are sometimes forced to become leaders in difficult life circumstances. Due to persistence, self-education, determination, they work in leadership positions and demonstrate masculine personality traits. The study aimed to study the psychological characteristics of women scientists who hold high positions in educational establishments - vice-rector, dean, and department head. We hypothesized that the professional success of women scientists depends on the level of their potential leadership skills. The study involved 75 women from higher education institutions who successfully work as vice-rectors, deans, heads of departments. All of them have the degree of doctors of philosophy from various scientific fields and combined scientific activity with managerial activity. Analysis of the results of empirical research showed that a high level of leadership skills determines the professional success of 37% of women studied, but 63% of women scientists have other determinants of professional success. Differences in indicators were identified, and three groups of women were characterized depending on the level of development of their leadership abilities. In groups of women with a medium and low level of leadership skills, the main determinants of professional success are the focus on real-life circumstances, high level of development of stable emotional and volitional sphere, voluntary self-regulation, self-control in difficult situations, emotional stability. Women who have achieved professional success, not on the basis of potential leadership abilities, form a socially determined personal quality - forced leadership, which we tend to consider as a social psychological phenomenon, which is based on the ability to adapt to living conditions in situations requiring a person to choose against own individual psychological features, namely to become a leader, to cultivate the traits inherent in a true leader.

This chapter compares Esther Lederberg’s role with that of other notable women scientists whose achievements exhibited creative laboratory skills. Esther’s career peaked in 1956 when the Society of Illinois Bacteriologists jointly bestowed the Pasteur Medal on the Lederberg couple. Usually, Joshua Lederberg was the public face of their research program. Esther’s place was behind the laboratory doors where she managed the lab and performed the experiments. For over a hundred years, this was the typical arrangement for women and their male associates. Prestigious faculty positions and accolades were unattainable for so many women in science. For Esther and many of her female colleagues, the thrill of discovery was enough reward. Esther valued the camaraderie of the brilliant personalities that made up the circle of pioneering researchers. Stanley Falkow called her a kind of Boswell of bacterial genetics. Her extensive photographic collection is a who’s who of molecular biology, many as their younger selves.

This chapter relates how one day in 1950, Esther Zimmer Lederberg cleverly re-purposed her compact makeup pad and invented replica plating. This whimsical experiment led to an elegant technique for duplicating many bacterial clones in one step, a clever invention that epitomized her experimental creativity. The chapter shows how the Lederbergs established the field of bacterial genetics years before the birth of molecular biology and together discovered bacterial sex (or horizontal gene transfer, HGT) the peculiar processes that enable bacteria to rapidly spread their genes, leading to antibiotic resistance and the evolution of new species. The stellar reputation of her brilliant husband and collaborator, however, diminished Esther Lederberg’s legacy. The systematic bias against giving due credit for achievements of women scientists whose work is misattributed to their scientific colleagues is known as the Matilda Effect. Esther Lederberg’s story is sadly similar to those of many exemplary women scientists.

Abstract Purpose of Review Coccidioidomycosis is an infectious disease that gained clinical significance in the early 20th century. Many of the foundational contributions to coccidioidomycosis research, including the discovery of the fungal disease agent, Coccidioides spp., were made by women. We review recent progress in Coccidioides research and big questions remaining in the field, while highlighting some of the contributions from women. Recent Findings New molecular-based techniques provide a promising method for detecting Coccidioides, which can help determine the dominate reservoir host and ideal environmental conditions for growth. Genetic and genomic analyses have allowed an understanding of population structure, species level diversity, and evolutionary histories. We present a current, comprehensive genome list, where women contributed many of these entries. Several efforts to develop a coccidioidomycosis vaccine are underway. Summary Women continue to pioneer research on Coccidioides, including the relationships between the fungi and the environment, genetics, and clinical observations. Significant questions remain in the field of Coccidioides, including the main host reservoir, the relationships between genotypic and phenotypic variation, and the underlying cause for chronic clinical coccidioidomycosis cases.

Abstract Despite the efforts of the Korean government to implement gender mainstreaming in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), the gender gap remains intact. The low rank of Gender Gap Indices (GGI) of Korea is mainly due to the low economic participation of women, especially in STEM. However, Korea has been steadily advancing in terms of government policies for women in STEM. The enactment of the law on fostering and supporting women in science and technology in 2002 is attributed to the collective efforts of women scientists and engineers through a women in STEM organization. The next task for women’s networks would be to identify the barriers of gender disparities by gathering the voices of women in STEM.

The experience of building and participating in women scientists’ communities in Central America is a multi-layered topic worthy of study. Understanding the dynamics of these women’s groups, associations, and other forms of collective participation, could assist in shedding light on why women are typically under-represented in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) research in countries within this region. The objectives of this study are (i) to explore the experiences of participation in communities of women scientists in Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and Panama, and (ii) to systematize the challenges and opportunities derived from such activities. Additionally, this work elaborates on some best practices from the Science Diplomacy (SD) perspective, which could provide a helpful framework to encourage these types of collective participatory communities. The qualitative research methodology was based on the collection of primary data from semi-structured interviews and responses to an online survey sent out to Central American women scientists. The findings of this study revealed few cases of community building experiences among women scientists within the studied countries. Evidence also showed the emergence of shared patterns in terms of barriers and disincentives to participating in such communities. Meanwhile, data collected from the few existing community groups is used to identify successful incentives and motivations. The analysis of the collected data offered relevant implications for Science Diplomacy. Most respondents referred to the Organization of Women in Science for the Developing World (OWSD) as one of the main organizations that can impact and further Science Diplomacy. This organization promotes international engagement and networking among women scientists from developing countries across regions and this article shows how this has been used to foster women science community building in Central America. Exploring similar practices in-depth may offer opportunities to overcome traditional barriers and build further gender equality in science in Central America.

Abstract In a year marked by unprecedented challenges, IUPAC hosted the largest ever Global Women’s Breakfast (GWB2021) on 9 February 2021, bringing together more than 20,000 people around the world to celebrate the achievements of women scientists, to strengthen and expand professional networks, to inspire the next generations, and to challenge the status quo with respect to equality for women scientists in the workplace.