Evolution of the Role of Women in the American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists

Abstract

The role of women in the American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists has evolved during the past 100 years. In the early years of the Society, the role of women was largely limited to assisting men in research and administration. One exceptional woman was Helen Thompson Gaige, a herpetologist at the University of Michigan, who served as Editor-in-Chief of Copeia for most of the period from 1937 to 1950. Women have become more visible and engaged in all aspects of the Society only during the past few decades. Of note, the first woman President, Marvalee Wake, was not elected until 1982, and since then, just five more women, three herpetologists and two ichthyologists, have been elected to that Society leadership position. We offer comments from our own experiences to show how our engagement with the Society has influenced our careers.