Why we need more women in science - with Athene Donald

Times have changed since women were barred from laboratories and unable to take science degrees. But have they changed enough?

Despite making great strides, the numbers of women studying physics and engineering remain small, and those who go on to successful careers are very few.

Join Dame Athene Donald as she explores, using her own experience and those of other top scientists who are women, the factors that drive women to give up on a career in science. From societal expectations, prejudice, hostility, and condescension to unconscious and systemic bias, particularly in science research, as evidenced by recent studies.

In this talk, discover how diversity is crucial to solving the problems of today, and why women should have their proper place as equals, in the lab, and in the committees where top-level decisions are made.

Dame Athene Donald is Professor Emerita in Experimental Physics and Master of Churchill College, University of Cambridge. She has spent her career in Cambridge, specializing in soft matter physics and physics at the interface with biology. She was the University of Cambridge's first Gender Equality Champion and has been involved in numerous initiatives concerning women in science. Athene has served on a variety of committees at the Royal Society, chaired its Education Committee from 2010-14 and currently serves on its Council (as she has before) and is a member of the Science Policy Committee. She served on the Scientific Council of the European Research Council from 2013-18 and was a Trustee of the Science Museum from 2011-16.

She was elected Fellow of the Royal Society in 1999 and appointed DBE for services to Physics in 2010.

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[TheRoyalInstitution]

Our position at the RI is that science is for everyone. We make our home in London and our online spaces welcoming, respectful and safe for all. We will not tolerate abuse or harassment of our people, nor of our audiences. We support and welcome freedom of speech – science is, after all, a world of exploration and debate – but we expect those sharing our online and in-person spaces to be respectful to all. Free speech doesn’t give anyone the right to be racist or sexist or transphobic, nor to mis-use the power of science to incite hatred. We are not open to those who seek to use science as an excuse for prejudice, discrimination and hate.

We will remove comments that are offensive to our speaker or to our audiences, and we encourage those commenting to watch the full video before responding, rather than just reading the title.

[Kabodanki]

This way of thinking only lead to sexism and prejudice. What about just welcoming everybody. What about just treating people as they are instead of trying to sort them using characteristics they didn’t decide… which is exactly what you are trying (I hope) to fight.

[thomass]

Women are already a majority in stem colleges, about 60% I don’t know about the numbers in America but in Europe the careers in the sciences are about 47% women now. Any chance we update the narrative a bit please because at this point it feels like a dead horse being beaten into the ground and people just don’t know how to change their tune despite the world changing around them

[SirHargreeves]

Seeing as men are minorities in biology and chemistry, will she be writing a book to say more men are needed in those fields? If not, why not?

[unclem]

The best of the best is all thats required.

[Phantom-mkkp]

No, we don't need more scientists of a particular group. We need more good scientists. Your whole attitude is incredibly unscientific

[DontTrustThemSnakes]

We really don’t tho. We need the best person for the job. When I read a white paper the gender of the person that wrote it means nothing to me

[Szlater]

And I thought the Hyperloop lecture was the worst RI lecture ever….and then they did this one.

[andlep]

What does gender have to do with science?

[antirealist]

Just when I was feeling alone amidst all the madness we're seeing from videos like this, I saw the comment section filled with like-minded, rational people expressing the common sense I've missed oh so much. It gives me hope to see so many people who care about science and learning take a stand against dogma and stand up for a more classically liberal, if not simply sensible, way of viewing science.

[EricEstesEleutherian]

We should be making science as accessible as possible to anyone & everyone & then let the people do what they want. Turns out, when freedom of choice is increased, delineation of career choice by gender goes up. Women go into STEM even less.

Don't force things. Encourage, create equal opportunity for everyone. From there, it's a meritocracy.

[stimproid]

Is she advocating for more women bricklayers and oil rig workers also?

[jurajo.]

Boys and Girls are not the same. The physical differences are obvious, but it is important to recognize differences in their interests and in the ways of thinking. We need to recognize the differences and applaud them. Pretending they don't exist puts everyone in the worst position.

[MrJC]

I am sorry what? Smh. Just let people do what they want. We don't need more of any group. We just need the best regardless. *facepalm*.

[MrNylarhotep]

"Times have changed since women were barred from laboratories and unable to take science degrees. But have they changed enough?"

For the people who demand more "diversity" it will never be enough.

[Powernoodle_]

You can count ovaries all you want, but at the top 10 (American) STEM university my son attended, despite the bias toward women in admissions, there were literally zero women remaining in the most difficult, 4th year math classes when my son graduated. All the women were weeded out, either from a lack of aptitude or lack of desire. It is nonsense to force women into a field that they cannot handle or do not want to pursue.

[dacokc]

My wife has a PhD in chemistry and is now a stay at home mother entirely of her own choice.. Can’t force women to do anything right?…

What to you need is more people that love* science to be in research because it’s their passion and not for a paycheck.

[NoobsDeSroobs]

She took a picture of the structure of DNA, yes, but the complete model was developed by Watson and Crick a year later. The picture Franklin was able to capture was a massive help and building block on which Watson and Crick buildt their model. That is hardly proof that there is an anti-women agenda here. Not everyone who helped get a result gets a nobel price.

[plinketharry]

Do we need more men in childcare rolls?

[shuchko]

As someone with a masters in Engineering and PhD in physics chem. and Barbie fan, i see no connection between my degree and my play interests.