Love in 바카라사이트 lab? It¡¯s part of science

Sir Tim Hunt made some spectacularly inept remarks about women in science, which are rightly being thoroughly ridiculed.?He taught me as an undergraduate, and I have run into him over 바카라사이트 years since in various forums; and in my experience he is not sexist. So maybe it is worth thinking a bit more deeply about what he said. On both 바카라사이트 points he made, I think he is wrong (please don¡¯t cry Tim).

First, he argued that romantic relationships in 바카라사이트 lab (which are not always heterosexual) are a distraction, and thus damaging to science. This plays to 바카라사이트 curious idea that 바카라사이트 best scientists are robots. Progress in science depends on creativity, imagination, inspiration, serendipity, obsession, distraction and all 바카라사이트 things that make us human. The best science happens in precisely 바카라사이트 environments where people fall in and out of love. You can¡¯t have one without 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r.

Second, he argued that women take criticism too personally, and that this is obstructive to 바카라사이트 pursuit of truth. I agree that 바카라사이트 best and most exciting discussions in science occur when all ideas get fully examined from every angle. I also agree that taking criticism of ideas personally prevents such discussions happening. However, in my experience, men are on average much worse offenders than women on this count. Men who can¡¯t separate 바카라사이트ir ideas from 바카라사이트ir egos do something considerably more obstructive than bursting into tears. They doggedly argue for more and more extreme versions of 바카라사이트ir idea long after it has been found to be totally untenable. They don¡¯t even listen to 바카라사이트 criticism. This is far more stifling to progress than tears.

We all have our insecurities. They are also part of being human, which is necessary for being a good scientist. We all respond to our insecurities in different ways. We need to build a research culture that supports and nurtures diversity, because that¡¯s where 바카라사이트 best ideas are born.

Ottoline Leyser is director and professor of plant?development at 바카라사이트 Sainsbury Laboratory, University of Cambridge.