Lens focuses on women and public policy across Harvard

The Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study and the Office of the Provost of Harvard University have jointly announced the debut of Lens: Research on Women and Public Policy at Harvard University. Lens is a semiannual newsletter that presents a review of ongoing scholarship on women and public policy across the University. In its pages and on the Web site, http://www.”radcliffe.”edu/lens, Harvard University faculty, students, and administrators, as well as government and NGO leaders, independent scholars, and faculty from other universities, will learn about research in their own areas of interest and beyond.

Paula Rayman, Linda S. Wilson Director of Public Policy at the Radcliffe Public Policy Center, leads the Lens board of advisers composed of faculty from the participating schools.

The first issue includes reports on the following research:

Does the gender gap really play a significant role in elections? Or is its importance overstated by the media? Anna Greenberg, assistant professor at the Kennedy School of Government, looks at polling data for reliable answers.

Why and how do male and female scientists’ career paths differ? Gerald Holton, Mallinckrodt Professor of Physics and Professor of History of Science Emeritus, looks at the differences in pace and scope of the career paths of initially equally advantaged scientists and explores what steps can be taken to make policies and evaluation processes more equitable.

Martha Chen, Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study’s Matina S. Horner Visiting Professor, looks at the rights of women doing “informal,” unregulated work both here and abroad.

Each issue of Lens will also include a section called “Short Takes,” reporting briefly on research being done at a particular school. The Harvard Divinity School is featured in the premiere issue, including the work of Traci West, a research associate, investigating how Christian sacred texts inform the public’s approach to welfare reform and domestic violence.

To obtain a copy of Lens, please contact the Radcliffe Office of Communications.