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Cern scientist says "men are discriminated against in physics'

31 replies

Maeb · 01/10/2018 11:35

Last Friday Cern held a workshop called "1st Workshop on High Energy Theory and Gender" to encourage women in physics. A prominent Cern theoretician, Prof. Alessandro Strumia, gave a talk (complete with slides!) on how women are not as good at physics as men (because 'lady brains') and are given preferential treatment, employment and funding over more talented men.

Dr Jess Wade, a physicist at Imperial College London who also gave a talk tweeted about it and Cern have now issued a bland statement.

It was reported on Radio 4's Today (starts around 39:14 & interview with the idiot himself and Dr Jess Wade @ 2:40:31) and the BBC website.

Obviously this is just ridiculous but I'm curious as to how he can do his day job effectively with such backward views? Does he dismiss the opinions/work, etc of his female superiors, peers? Do his female students and subordinates get the education and encouragement that they are entitled to?

OP posts:
rememberatime · 01/10/2018 11:59

He must feel he has enough backing to say this. I doubt he felt he was stepping out on a limb. These views don't exist in a vacuum - somewhere within his academic study and ongoing career, this has been a view he has shared and he must have been agreed with. He is not the only one.

My daughter is looking to head into a similar field and is studying physics. She is one of a few girls in her a-level course. I worry that at some point she will come across men like this.

Right now she does not believe in positive discrimination and wants to be seen on her merits. But if this is the opinion of some men within her field, then her merits will not even be considered.

AssassinatedBeauty · 01/10/2018 11:52

Fuck, he's an absolute shit of a misogynist. One of his slides says "physics invented and built by men - it's not by invitation". What the fuck does he think women were doing when physics was being built? Being actively and deliberately held back by men!

This man should be disciplined, removed from any positions of influence and not allowed to lecture/mentor etc any students if he currently does.

XXaghast · 01/10/2018 11:47

Courtesy of reddit

Procrastinator1 · 01/10/2018 11:44

There's another thread, Women and Physics.

AssassinatedBeauty · 01/10/2018 11:44

Well if he's openly stating that he holds misogynistic views about women in science, then it would seem inevitable that he would treat his female subordinates, colleagues and probably even superiors less favourably than their male counterparts.

What is a physicist doing giving a talk about neuroscience and sex differences, in a session about encouraging women into physics?! The organisers must have been aware of the topic, content and opinion in his talk!

It is incredibly disappointing, but yet again, not at all surprising. Men hate the idea that women are as capable as them.

Procrastinator1 · 01/10/2018 11:42

YY to your comments about Prof Strumia. I wasn't surprised about his comments, but I was also infuriated about the BBC's insistence on using the word gender instead of sex.