Overcoming Obstacles as a Woman in Astronomy
Dr. Roemer earned her Doctorate of Astronomy in 1955. At that time only 10% of people earning Doctorates were women. The percentage was lower for women in the sciences. At the time, many women in astronomy were married to male astronomers. In a 1961 letter to Elizabeth's mother, Elsie Roemer, W. W. Morgan expressed his admiration for Elizabeth's accomplishments. He described her as, “the outstanding person in her field - - and probably in the world.” He was impressed that she had accomplished this on her own, without a husband to”clear the way” for her. Dr. Roemer spent her entire career fighting for the respect her male colleagues showed one another.
When Dr. Roemer was in settings with other astronomers she was often the only woman in the group. When the astronomers introduced one another they used the title "Doctor," but when Roemer was introduced it was often as "Pat." In a letter dated November 13, 1958, Elizabeth wrote to her mother about the situation. Not only was she introduced without her title, she was excluded from an academic procession that included her male colleagues.
In a 1974 letter, Dr. Roemer accepted her salary under protest. She spent decades trying to secure fair pay for herself and other women at the university. In 1994, she created a graph comparing the salaries of astronomers at the University of Arizona. She noted the year of completion of a Doctorate and the disparity between the amount being paid to the men in the department vs. the women.
In 1992 she was asked to participate in a Women in Astronomy workshop. In response to the request, she answered, “ I cannot do this: have experienced too much, bitterness not far below the surface. I survive by avoiding thinking about it.”
