re: Where are they?

[New Dominion Pictures <ndp@pinn.net>]

Hello all,

It's been two months now that I am learning about paleontology as a 
full-time job. I have been contacting a lot of people and I have been 
understanding a lot of fascinating issues with all of them. At this point I 
can honnestly say I believe I have a good picture of the paleo-community.

And one thing is striking to me: where are the women? I talked to some of 
them. I am sure I don't have to give names because you know them and 
their work pretty much I am sure, they are so few! So far, I have only 
met two women that are actually working in the field. One of them is in 
Argentina, the other in Madagascar. The other women I talked to were 
mainly working in laboratories or as assistant.

No anger in this letter. I only would like to understand. Somebody told 
me this situation is due to the way paleontology started. He told me that 
paleontology began as a branch of geology and that geology was mainly 
serving the purposes of the oil companies. And we all know that the oil 
industry is a man's world. I thought it was a good point. Do you have any 
other suggestions?

Emmanuelle.