Increased awareness of systematic biases across the Sciences, Technology, Engineering and
Mathematics (STEM) has fueled calls for action across scientific disciplines. In a recent
analysis of gender equality within the MSA, Branco and Vellinga found evidence of gender
bias within our society, both in serving officers and awards (Inoculum, Vol. 66, Issue 5,
2015). In their report, the authors found that female MSA members are particularly
underrepresented in MSA leadership positions, and since the inception of the society in
1932, less than 15% of the MSA presidents have been women. Gender bias was also
discovered in the non-student awards where, at the extreme, only five female members have
received the Distinguished Mycologist award compared to the 55 male awardees.