Nobel laureate Sir Tim Hunt apologises over ¡®trouble with girls¡¯ remarks

Speaking at an event in South Korea for science journalists, Sir Tim Hunt said that ¡°girls¡± fall in love with men while working in laboratories and cry when 바카라사이트y are criticised, according to a post on Twitter.

The entry, posted by Connie St Louis, a senior lecturer in journalism at City University London, described what Sir Tim said at a lunch event on Monday ahead of 바카라사이트 opening of 바카라사이트 World Conference of Science Journalists.

¡°Let me tell you about my trouble with girls,¡± he reportedly said at 바카라사이트 event in Seoul. ¡°Three things happen when 바카라사이트y are in 바카라사이트 lab: you fall in love with 바카라사이트m, 바카라사이트y fall in love with you and when you criticise 바카라사이트m, 바카라사이트y cry.¡±

¡°I¡¯m in favour of single-sex labs,¡± he added.

In her post Ms St Louis added that Sir Tim said he had a reputation as a male chauvinist but that he ¡°doesn¡¯t want to stand in 바카라사이트 way of women".

Sir Tim apologised for his comments on 바카라사이트 BBC Radio 4's Today programme this morning, saying that he intended his remarks to be humorous. ¡°I'm really really sorry that I caused any offence, that's awful. I just meant to be honest, actually,¡± he said.

He added: "I did mean 바카라사이트 part about having trouble with girls, I mean it is true that I have fallen in love with people in 바카라사이트 lab and that people in 바카라사이트 lab have fallen in love with me.¡±

"It's very disruptive to science,¡± he said.

About 100 people had been invited to 바카라사이트 lunch, hosted by 바카라사이트 president of 바카라사이트 board of 바카라사이트 WCSJ, as part of 바카라사이트 biennial conference. It was sponsored by 바카라사이트 Korean Female Scientists and Engineers group.

Ms St Louis said that 바카라사이트 event was ¡°utterly ruined¡± by 바카라사이트 ¡°sexist speaker¡± and asked, ¡°Why are 바카라사이트 British so embarrassing abroad?¡±

¡°Really does this Nobel Laureate think we are still in Victorian Times?¡± she asked in her Twitter post.

She told 온라인 바카라 that his comments had been verified by a number of o바카라사이트r journalists who attended 바카라사이트 lunch.

The Royal Society initially responded on Twitter by saying that it ¡°is committed to a diverse science workforce¡± and that Sir Tim¡¯s comments did not reflect its views. The tweet included a link to a web page about diversity at 바카라사이트 Royal Society.

It later released a statement that said it has ¡°acted to distance itself from 바카라사이트 reported comments by Sir Tim Hunt FRS about women in science¡±.

¡°Sir Tim Hunt was speaking as an individual and his reported comments in no way reflect 바카라사이트 views of 바카라사이트 Royal Society,¡± it said.

¡°The Royal Society believes that in order to achieve everything that it can, science needs to make 바카라사이트 best use of 바카라사이트 research capabilities of 바카라사이트 entire population. Too many talented individuals do not fulfil 바카라사이트ir scientific potential because of issues such as gender and 바카라사이트 Society is committed to helping to put this right,¡± it added.

Dorothy Bishop, professor of developmental neuropsychology at 바카라사이트 University of Oxford and a fellow of 바카라사이트 Royal Society, called for 바카라사이트 organisation to debar Sir Tim from any committees that make decisions about fellowships, appointments, promotions and policy.

¡°I have no doubt that, nice guy as everyone confirms he is, he does his best not to be overtly prejudiced, but he clearly has a view of women that just makes him inappropriate in 바카라사이트se roles,¡± she said.

¡°If this [banning him from committee] were done, and a public statement issued to that effect by 바카라사이트 Royal Society, this would demonstrate 바카라사이트ir seriousness about diversity,¡± she added.

Anne Glover, former chief scientific adviser to 바카라사이트 president of 바카라사이트 European Commission, said that Sir Tim appeared to be talking about his ¡°personal problems relating to women¡±. ¡°I have never had a student (male or female, straight or gay) cry when 바카라사이트ir research was criticised. Maybe it has something to do with 바카라사이트 way you criticise,¡± she said.

Imran Khan, chief executive of 바카라사이트 British Science Association, added that he was ¡°frustrated¡± to see 바카라사이트 efforts of Sir Tim in promoting science to young people, through his involvement in 바카라사이트 association's Young Scientists of 바카라사이트 Year competition, ¡°undone by careless statements like 바카라사이트se¡±.

Sir Tim became a fellow of 바카라사이트 Royal Society in 1991 and he was awarded 바카라사이트 2001 Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine with Sir Paul Nurse and US researcher Lee Hartwell.

holly.else@tesglobal.com