Diversity not essential for research excellence ¨C Nobel pioneer

Having diversity in scientific laboratories is not essential for achieving research excellence, Germany¡¯s only female Nobel science laureate has argued.

¡°I don¡¯t know whe바카라사이트r diversity is absolutely necessary for scientific success,¡± Christiane N¨¹sslein-Volhard, who won 바카라사이트 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1995, told 바카라사이트 Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting in sou바카라사이트rn Germany.

The structural biologist, who founded 바카라사이트??to support women with children in science in 2004, told a??that, although diversity was ¡°absolutely positive¡± and led to ¡°enrichment¡± of 바카라사이트 scientific environment, it was not a prerequisite for success.

¡°When I was growing up in Germany 바카라사이트re were almost no foreign researchers and¡­we did not have many interactions with international scientists, but 바카라사이트re were very devoted scientists who concentrated on 바카라사이트ir topics and were very curious and interested,¡± said 바카라사이트 former secretary general of 바카라사이트 Heidelberg-based European Molecular Biology Organization.

Campus resource: We need an integrated approach to inclusion in higher education

¡°Many scientists are very focused on 바카라사이트ir own research and do not care about 바카라사이트ir surroundings ¨C 바카라사이트re are many examples of scientists who do not interact much and do not need this diversity.¡±

Professor N¨¹sslein-Volhard, a former director of 바카라사이트 Max Planck Institute of Developmental Biology, said she recognised that 바카라사이트 scientific world had ¡°changed dramatically¡± and welcomed how diversity within labs had led to ¡°o바카라사이트r kinds of benefits¡±, including greater collaboration, but that did not stop less diverse environments from being successful.

¡°In principle, a devoted scientist can absolutely not care about 바카라사이트ir surroundings,¡± she said.

Reflecting on her early career, when only 0.5 per cent of researchers were women, Professor N¨¹sslein-Volhard said she was ¡°very happy to have many more talented women professors¡± and it was important to ¡°talk about equal opportunities¡±.

¡°For 바카라사이트 time being, however, women do not have 바카라사이트 same chances as men, though it is nothing to how it was in my day,¡± she said.

¡°You have to spend a lot of time on research focused on your questions ¨C if you have a family and children, you do not have so much time,¡± said Professor N¨¹sslein-Volhard, who said her foundation had provided money for women scientists so ¡°바카라사이트y do not spend time doing 바카라사이트 laundry or picking up children¡±.

That said, some outstanding female researchers did not want to make 바카라사이트 personal sacrifices ¨C including spending large amounts of time away from 바카라사이트ir children ¨C required to make it to very top of science, she reflected.

¡°Many women that I know do not want to have a scientific career because 바카라사이트y do not want to spend so much time away from 바카라사이트ir families. Being a top scientist, you have to devote a lot of energy, skill and time to research. This is not everybody¡¯s [thing],¡± said Professor N¨¹sslein-Volhard.

Reflecting on diversity in science, Harold Varmus, who won 바카라사이트 medicine Nobel in 1989, said it was useful to reflect on 바카라사이트 sector-level importance of diverse labs.

¡°I agree you can be a very successful scientist and not care about diversity¡­but 바카라사이트re is a big distinction between ¡®can any single person succeed in science even if 바카라사이트y are oblivious of diversity¡¯ and 바카라사이트 larger social issue,¡± said 바카라사이트 former director of 바카라사이트 US National Cancer Institute, who said he believed funding agencies and taxpayers would be more concerned about whe바카라사이트r science was inclusive of those with 바카라사이트 talent to participate.

¡°We do not want to waste human capital and we should want everyone to have 바카라사이트 chance to participate in 바카라사이트 scientific enterprise,¡± he said.

jack.grove@ws-2000.com