Women in Science

As a mother of two (1month & 3 years), a wife, and a researcher, I feel that I can legitimately comment on the interview published in the NYT today on women in science.  The women who offered commentary on what it's like to pursue a career in science while also raising children had a diverse range of opinions on mixing the two endeavors.  The majority (3 of the 4) say, in a nutshell, that they would not necessarily encourage their daughter (if they had one) to pursue a career in science because it's tough, gritty, and basically a "mans world".  One went so far as to say that women have to "do what the guys do, and it does not matter what it takes".  She was speaking in terms of balancing work/home life.  I found this comment not only striking in terms of its honesty but also disheartening as it reflected a failure of the feminist movement.  Or at least, the feminist movement as I interpret its goals.  Which is to say, that women should not aspire to do things just like men, but should aspire to enter the system and change it to be accommodating for women without sacrificing productivity.  This is what research (that apparently these three women haven't read up on) is telling us can happen when women rise in the workforce to prominent positions.  Productivity doesn't change, but the way in which tasks are accomplished and the number of people contributing to a project does change....and arguably for the better.  I doubt that Gina Kolata, the NYT journalist who conducted the interview and wrote the piece is anticipating following this up with a look at organizations/industries with females in high ranks vs. not.....but wouldn't it be nice? Let's at least not revert back to a point in history when girls thought they couldn't laugh at work for fear of being labeled "flighty" and had to wear pantsuits for fear of being objectified. Science should be safe for anyone who can do the cognitive lifting, but unfortunately that's not what is reflected in the commentary of these women.

Scientific American's "1,000 Scientists in 1,000 Days"

The magazine Scientific American is looking for scientists willing to volunteer their time to help out local schools. Sounds like a great opportunity to make a difference!

http://www.scientificamerican.com/page.cfm?section=calling-all-scientists

Mother's Day Genetics Song

In honor of Mother's Day, enjoy a biologist's Mother's Day song. (The song is a year old now, but still sweet.)

from AAAS policy news...

FDA Extends Comment Period on Genetic Tests for Consumers. The Food and Drug Administration has extended the public comment period to May 2, 2011, on its request for input from "interested stakeholders" on the "scientific issues" related to direct-to-consumer genetic tests. The announcement and details for commenting are posted at http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2011/pdf/2011-7708.pdf.

Jurassic Spiders

With a five-inch leg span and golden webs, the fossilized relatives of today's Nephila spiders sound like pretty impressive creatures.

Speaking of Chimpanzees....

There is a lecture entitled "The Mind of the Chimpanzee" this Wednesday (4/27/11) at the Northwestern Chicago Campus. Registration is at 5pm, and the presentation starts at 6pm. Dr. Elizabeth Lonsdorf and Dr. Steve Ross will be discussing recent findings regarding how chimpanzees think.

Chimpanzee Birth

A great quote from the referenced article is "We tend to think that we are unique, without knowing [enough] about other animals."

According to the BBC Earth News: "A team took close-up footage of captive chimps giving birth, which revealed that the newborn emerges from the birth canal facing away from the mother. Scientists had believed that this birth position evolved in the primate ancestors of modern humans. These findings could refute that theory."

It is amazing that something so observable has eluded scientists for so long. In addition to being an interesting story, it's a gentle reminder of the necessity for scientists to always be objective and open minded.