Reflections on women in science -- diversity and discomfort: Jocelyn Bell Burnell at TEDxStormont

Summary

In this thought-provoking talk, the speaker reflects on her personal journey as a woman in science, sharing stories from her childhood in Northern Ireland to her career as a physics professor and president of the Institute of Physics. She highlights the cultural and institutional barriers women face in scientific fields, using statistics to illustrate global gender disparities in astronomy. The speaker advocates for systemic change, stressing the importance of diversity in research and the need for women to be recognized and supported. She urges for strategic action, institutional reform, and the dismantling of unconscious bias to create a more inclusive scientific community.

Takeaways

• 😀 Women in science still face significant gender-based challenges, as evidenced by the speaker's personal experience in secondary school and university.
• 😀 Gendered educational practices, like the division of girls and boys in science classes, can reinforce outdated stereotypes and hinder equal opportunities.
• 😀 Cultural factors, not inherent differences in intelligence, contribute to the gender imbalance in various scientific fields, such as astronomy.
• 😀 Argentina stands out with 37% of its professional astronomers being women, while countries like Japan have only 6%, highlighting the importance of cultural influences on gender representation.
• 😀 Despite improvements, women in science remain underrepresented, with female physicists in the UK only making up about 12% of the field, below the global average of 15%.
• 😀 A diverse research team brings more creativity, flexibility, and success, but diverse groups are harder to manage and may feel uncomfortable to some members.
• 😀 The journey toward gender equality in science has been slow and painful, much like Northern Ireland's societal changes over the past two decades.
• 😀 Initiatives to increase female representation in science have often been local, ad-hoc, and driven by individual efforts, but now there is a need for more strategic approaches.
• 😀 Gender equality in science requires not only supporting women but also changing the culture of science itself, which has traditionally been male-dominated.
• 😀 Encouraging women to apply for jobs, promotions, and funding, and fostering networks for female scientists are important steps toward greater equity in science.
• 😀 Institutional sexism and unconscious bias remain significant barriers in science, and addressing these issues requires awareness and systemic change.

Q & A

What early experience did the speaker have that highlighted gender discrimination in education?

In her first week of secondary school, girls were sent to domestic science while boys were sent to the science lab without explanation. She protested, and after parents intervened, she and two other girls were allowed into the science class.

How did cultural expectations of women in the 1950s contrast with the speaker’s aspirations?

A 1955 women’s magazine depicted women as subservient homemakers whose role was to please their husbands. This contrasted sharply with the speaker’s ambition to pursue physics and astronomy.

What challenges did the speaker face as a woman studying physics at university?

At Glasgow University, she was the only woman in her honors physics class and had to endure hostile behavior such as stamping, whistling, and catcalling whenever she entered lecture halls.

What milestone did the speaker achieve at the Open University?

Her appointment as Chair of Physics doubled the number of female physics professors in the UK—from one to two.

What global pattern in astronomy does the speaker highlight?

She references international data showing large variations in the percentage of female astronomers by country, with Argentina at 37% and Japan at 6%, emphasizing that culture—not ability—is the limiting factor.

Why does the speaker argue that diversity is valuable in scientific research?

She explains that diverse teams offer more creativity, flexibility, robustness, and overall success because members bring varied perspectives and experiences.

What challenges accompany managing diverse research groups?

While diversity strengthens teams, it also makes them harder to manage, and some members may find the differences uncomfortable or threatening.

Why does the speaker advocate for strategic approaches instead of ad-hoc initiatives?

Because many past efforts to support women in science were isolated and uncoordinated; she argues that long-term, structural change requires strategic, organization-wide policies.

What cultural assumptions in science does the speaker believe need to change?

She argues that scientific culture has been shaped by men for generations and often assumes women must adapt to male norms; she believes the culture itself should evolve to be more inclusive.

How does the speaker describe the importance of recognizing institutional sexism and unconscious bias?

She notes that biases appear even in small details, like listing 'male' before 'female' on forms, and emphasizes that both men and women often unconsciously discriminate against women.

What point does she make regarding family commitments and leave policies?

She highlights the need for shared parental responsibilities and cites Finland, where men must take three months of paternity leave, noting that male scientists who do so return as better scientists.

What message does the speaker convey with the quote 'Well-behaved women rarely make history'?

She uses the quote to emphasize that progress often requires women to challenge norms, noting that her generation could not afford to be 'well-behaved' if they wanted to advance.