Discover 9 opportunities in women

Economics has a gender problem, it always has, and unfortunately, it appears to be getting worse. Until recently, the impression was that this historically male-dominated discipline was turning a corner—albeit rather slowly—and the number of women studying economics was creeping upwards. That progress, however, looks to have stalled, and by some accounts, including that of the Australian Department of Education, actually gone into reverse. All the while, the number of women in the STEM fields (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Maths)—long notorious for their poor gender ratios—has been steadily increasing. It looks as though the ‘old boys’ club’ of economics might be closing ranks.

Conferences are a key part of academic life, but they can be difficult events for women to thrive in. Much like in other spheres of life, women experience harassment, danger, and judgment. Conferences need to do more to help women at conferences feel safe, secure, and free to talk, share their ideas, and grow. Read on to learn more about the problems women face at conferences at what conference organisers can do to help.

For women, it can be a bit of a challenge to know what to wear to an academic conference. In some disciplines, it would be expected for everyone to wear a suit, but for most academic conferences a business-casual look is appropriate. But what does that mean in practical terms? Here's our advice on picking a conference outfit. Download the Conference Monkey Directory - 6 Month Conference List