Why is Science Important?

9 Responses to Why is Science Important?

1. Katherine Haxton says:

   19 December 2008 at 08:58

   Why especially if we’re not male?
2. Richard P. Grant says:

   19 December 2008 at 09:15

   Because the are too many males lined up already.
3. Maxine Clarke says:

   19 December 2008 at 11:56

   Here’s a nice post about some not-male scientists.
4. Richard P. Grant says:

   19 December 2008 at 12:08

   I wonder if such lists are helpful, Maxine?
   Is there a ‘Top Men Scientists of 2008’? Should there be? Shouldn’t there just be a ‘Top Scientists of 2008’?
   With Alom’s project, the point is not that women should be getting a free ride because they’re women. We know there are clever, articulate, scientists who happen to be women, but it’s the men who tend to push themselves forward and get the attention. It’s about opportunity.
   I wonder if ‘Top Women’ lists are actually harmful?
5. Katherine Haxton says:

   19 December 2008 at 12:30

   I think Top Women lists are harmful. I’m happy to see Top Scientist lists, but to pick out female achievement is to be selective, and not represent the full field. Lists of women who are scientists are fine, then you can judge on their own merits.
   Of course, the flip side to the argument is that highlighting achievements of so-called minorities is important. Top Women lists highlight the achievements better than a Top Person list.
   Yeah, you men are pushy 😉
6. Mike Fowler says:

   19 December 2008 at 13:02

   Ooooh! Will this dissolve into an argument about positive discrimination? I hope so. It is, after all, still discrimination.
   The number 1 results in a google search for “top male scientist 2008” is The Scientist : More Women at the Top [2008-08-01]. We can’t even get to the top of our own lists these days 🙁
   Number 2 is about male circumcision. Ouch.
7. Maxine Clarke says:

   19 December 2008 at 13:07

   There was a top scientists’ list. The link I provided was to the women in science blog, which had pulled out the women from that list. Naturally, there were not very many of them in proportion to the men, so it is a short list.
8. Brian Derby says:

   19 December 2008 at 13:28

   Those lists seem to imply that all top women scientists work in the USA…
9. Richard P. Grant says:

   19 December 2008 at 20:55

   Had an email from Alom, and he says that while there is a male/female imbalance, who he really wants to hear from are science teachers.
   So. Spread that word, too.

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