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M.E. Thompson 21319.7 The current sceneStatistics is an important profession in Canada today. Despite a steady inflowof capable young people, the demand for talented statisticians outstrips thesupply. It is fortunate that women are entering the field in greater numbersthan ever before. The cohorts with PhDs in the 1990s are now mid-career andmaking their mark on the profession, while those just beginning are achievingthings that I would never have dreamed of at the same stage. Are there stillbarriers that are particular to women? Is it still harder for women to enterthe profession, and to rise high in its ranks?The answer is probably “yes.” When we think of it, some of the obstaclesthat were always there are hardly likely to disappear: The difficulties of combiningcareer and family life, the “two-body” problem, despite the adoption bymost universities of family-friendly “spousal hiring policies”; and the physicaltoll of long working hours and dedication. Other barriers might continue tobecome less pervasive over time, such as the prejudices that have contributedto the adoption of double-blind refereeing by many journals. The CanadianJournal of Statistics was among the first to adopt this policy, in 1990.In academia, examples of anomalies in salary and advancement may befewer these days. At least at the University of Waterloo, statistical approachessomething like those pioneered by Elizabeth L. Scott are now taken to identifyand rectify such anomalies. There are still however several departments acrossthe country with a surprisingly small number of women faculty in statistics.It used to be the case that in order to succeed in a field like statistics,awomanhadtoberesoluteanddetermined,andbepreparedtoworkveryhard. It was often said that she would have to work twice as hard as a man toachieve the same degree of recognition. It now seems to be the case that bothmen and women entering the field have to be either consummately brilliantor resolute and determined, to about the same degree — but it is still aneasier road for those who can afford to be single-minded. I remember the dayswhen women who pursued a career, particularly in academia, were consideredrather odd, and in some ways exceptional. We are now no longer so odd, butthose who make the attempt, and those who succeed, are still exceptional, inone way or another.AcknowledgmentsI would like to thank David Bellhouse, Christian Genest, and the reviewersfor very helpful suggestions.