Rachel Levine is torn.

In a few years, she’ll receive her doctorate in chemical engineering from the University of Minnesota and face the same decision as tens of thousands of science, technology, engineering and math graduate students across the nation: industry or academia?

As a professor, Levine would be able to conduct research she cares about, like improving the effectiveness of cancer drugs. But at a university, she would spend a lot of her time applying for grants to fund it. If she chooses to do research for a company, funding wouldn’t be an issue, but she wouldn’t be able to choose what she studies.

Levine is part of a growing number of women in science who are following the educational pipeline to the doctoral level.

But overwhelmingly, these women aren’t choosing academia. READ MORE

As it appeared in print:

Published: Minnesota Daily, Dec. 6, 2013