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'Physics was built by men': Cern scientist's remark sparks fury 'Physics was built by men': Cern scientist's remark sparks fury
(about 1 hour later)
A senior Italian scientist has been called “highly offensive” after giving a workshop at Cern, the European nuclear research centre, in Geneva during which he said “physics was invented and built by men, it’s not by invitation”. A senior Italian scientist has sparked fury by saying in a presentation at Cern, the European nuclear research centre in Geneva, that physics was “invented and built by men, it’s not by invitation”.
Professor Alessandro Strumia of Pisa University sparked fury when he said at a seminar on gender issues in physics that male scientists were being discriminated against because of ideology rather than merit. Professor Alessandro Strumia, of Pisa University, claimed during a seminar on gender issues in physics that male scientists were being discriminated against because of ideology.
He told the audience, mostly comprised of female physicists, that female researchers in Italy tend to benefit from either “free or cheaper university” education, while Oxford University “extends exam times for women’s benefit”. Strumia added that his results “proved” that “physics is not sexist against women”. He told the audience, mostly comprising female physicists, that female researchers in Italy tended to benefit from either “free or cheaper university” education, while Oxford University in England “extends exam times for women’s benefit”.
Strumia defended his presentation, telling the Guardian that his detractors were “trying to paint me as a monster who discriminates against women” and that his presentation of “facts” was in response to statements made about men discriminating against women. Strumia defended his comments, telling the Guardian that his detractors were “trying to paint me as a monster who discriminates against women” and that his presentation of “facts” was in response to statements made about men discriminating against women.
He said the data, which originated from published research papers from an online library, showed there was “no discrimination” in citations, in that male and female scientists were equally cited in presentations, but that when it came to hiring, women were favoured. He said datashowed male and female scientists were equally cited in presentations, and that women were favoured when it came to hiring. “This is not the message they wanted [to hear] at this conference,” he said.
“This is not the message they wanted [to hear] at this conference,” he said. Strumia, who regularly works at Cern, also said claims by a participant at the event that the sphere of physics was second only to the military for sexual abuse were “totally absurd”.
Strumia, who regularly works at Cern, added that comments made by a participant at the event suggesting that the sphere of physics was most rife with sexual abuse, after the military, were “totally absurd”. He said: “These people are so worried about problems that don’t exist. What I actually said has good purpose. We are not discriminating, women have been helped for years.”
“These people are so worried about problems that don’t exist – what I actually said has good purpose; we are not discriminating, women have been helped for years.” Cern, whose director general is the Italian physicist Fabiola Gianotti, described Strumia’s presentation as “highly offensive” and removed the slides used in his talk from its website.
Cern, whose director general is the Italian physicist Fabiola Gianotti, described Strumia’s presentation as “highly offensive” and removed the slides used in his talk from its website, adding in a statement: “The organisers from Cern and several collaborating universities were not aware of the content of the talk prior to the workshop. Diversity is a strong reality at Cern, and is also one of the core values underpinning our code of conduct. The organisation is fully committed to promoting diversity and equality at all levels.” It said in a statement: “The organisers from Cern and several collaborating universities were not aware of the content of the talk prior to the workshop. Diversity is a strong reality at Cern, and is also one of the core values underpinning our code of conduct. The organisation is fully committed to promoting diversity and equality at all levels.”
Gianotti, from Rome, became the first woman to hold the five-year mandate as director general of Cern in 2016. Gianotti became the first woman to hold the five-year mandate as director general of Cern in 2016.
Dr Jessica Wade, a physicist from Imperial College London who was at the event, told the BBC that Strumia’s presentation was “really upsetting to those at the workshop” and that his analysis was “simplistic” and drew on ideas that had “long been discredited”. Dr Jessica Wade, a physicist from Imperial College London who attended the event, told the BBC that Strumia’s presentation was “really upsetting to those at the workshop”, and his analysis was “simplistic” and drew on ideas that had “long been discredited”.
Strumia claims he was overlooked for a role in favour of a woman and that anyone who speaks out is attacked, censored or risks losing their job. Strumia claimed he had been overlooked for a role in favour of a woman and that anyone who spoke out was attacked, censored or risked losing their job.
“I like physics and science because everyone can do what they want – I don’t like it when there’s social engineering to decide how many men, women and categories there should be,” he said. “I like physics and science because everyone can do what they want. I don’t like it when there’s social engineering to decide how many men, women and categories there should be,” he said.
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