The research career of university professors

The purpose of the Ph.D. thesis is to analyse and understand the constraints met by women researchers in academia. In order to achieve that, three objectives have been defined: (a) Understand why women are engaged in research activities; (b) Capture the perceptions that women researchers have regarding their research career and (c) Analyze which challenges they have to face because of their gender. Research career at university has been explained as weel as its constraints (socio-cultural, institutional and personal) and affirmative actions in this area. Parallel biographical narratives (Pujadas, 1992) were employed as methodology. The sample was selected from the teaching and research staff of the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain, according to the following criteria: (a) knowledge area; (b) the department with higher and lowest rate of female staff in every knowledge area and (c) their position, meanwhile in order to hold this position is condition sine qua non being a Ph.D. Information came from interviews, the analysis of their curriculum vitae as well as the records of the departments where the interviewed women were working. The first objective concluded that socialization and education from family and school can influence, for instance, the decision of which high school studies follow. Getting involved in Ph.D. studies depends on several variables, but the most important appear to be the collaboration in research groups during the last years of higher education as well as getting a grant. Society seems not to know what is research, the research career, etc. In this respect, steps towards making researches and closer work in society should be made; motivating students to get involved in research; paying more attention in teacher education and bringing orientation in the moment of deciding high education or Ph.D. studies. According to the second objective, it seems that the research career is not free of difficulties, especially due to the conditions in which it is developed – the culture of higher education institutions, being part of social networks is highly influential, scientific excellence, accreditations and other evaluations, the position of women in the research collective, etc. Professional expectancies of female researchers vary according to the moment they are in their careers (tenure track positions, full professor, close to retirement…) and, generally, they recommend pursuing a research career. Because of all these reasons, it can be stated that it is important to analyze deeply the culture of higher education institutions and academic practices from a gender point of view in order to stop gender segregation, stimulate more women to achieve top positions and advancing versus equal opportunities. Finally, the third objective shows that in universities and in research a sexed culture with gender bias is still predominant. This is even more obvious when women researchers are mothers or have dependent people under their responsibility and also have to conciliate personal, familiar and professional lives. In this respect, actions to support conciliation need to be introduced and enhanced –such actions are beneficial not only for women, but also for their colleagues and they eventually lead to a more balanced institution.