"Our field has traditionally been male-dominated, and many women in security studies today still find themselves in rooms of mostly men," says Sara Plana, a fifth-year doctoral candidate in the MIT Department of Political Science. Women pursuing careers in security studies — especially women of color — confront greater challenges than men in publishing research and scoring coveted public policy or teaching positions, she notes. These longstanding institutional barriers to women have proven dauntingly resistant to change. But recently, Plana and Rachel Tecott, also a fifth-year doctoral candidate in political science, came up with a plan to address the issue. In 2018, they launched the Future Strategy Forum (FSF), an initiative amplifying the expertise of women scholars and practitioners in international security while creating opportunities for connection. At a conference held each spring in Washington, all-women panels and keynote speakers discuss substantive research organized...
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