Quotas for women scientists will produce second-rate science

catlebrity · 2010-03-21T16:49:21+00:00

This is pretty absurd. I work at a medical branch of a major research University. The research wing is half women. The posters that they produce for various conferences show colaboration with research partners around the world - again, women play a prominent role and in many cases, dominate the research.

There are no barriers to women in science. Talented researchers are welcomed with open arms. The problem with research science is the pay and the hours - both suck. At least in the life sciences, talented scientific minds tend to go to become doctors or vets.

achilles · 2010-03-21T15:23:51+00:00

This is sickening. I'm a research scientist, and their is no way that you can mandate more of a certain group into science. Hell, we can barely get enough people into science, much less a specific group, and for good reason. On an easy week, I work 60 hr/wk. On a busy week, i work 100 hrs/wk and all for very little pay. Research science isnt some glamorous job (although some in the public like to think it is) that evil men are keeping women out of. Its a job most people dont want to do once they know what it entails

2010-03-21T23:22:08+00:00

Quotas for scientists will produce second-rate science

That's the most likely outcome of this little problem.

Women scientists this weekend are calling for government funding to be ring-fenced for projects headed by women.

How exactly is this a good thing? It's like affirmative action to promote people based on color or ethnic background. Leaving slots open to people who aren't qualified beyond what "initiatives" specify is completely ridiculous. Let those who are most competent get the positions.

cryptogirl · 2010-03-21T21:25:18+00:00

Employment should be based on merit, and merit alone.

Graduate education admissions should be based on merit, and merit alone.

College admissions should be based on merit, and merit alone.

If you want to solve any inequities in this world, you must address them at their root (i.e., equal opportunity in pre-college education). Forcing equality in outcome is an artificial solution that provides only superficial results.

It is disturbing how popular ideas of affirmative action - and even worse, quotas - have become in this so-called progressive society.

windynights · 2010-03-21T20:47:44+00:00

Well, tit for tat. Any profession dominated by women will have to open its doors to affirmative action. Men are entitled to a cut in every job that's out there. Time to rock the boat and keep the damn thing tipsy until our demands are met.

achilles · 2010-03-21T22:30:11+00:00

I have a background as a research scientist and my honest opinion is that female academics are generally less likely to produce genuinely original research. Definitely a sweeping generalization but in my experience the honest truth.

The best researchers are motivated by a love of their subject and some sort of desire to achieve academic glory. As the poster at the start of the thread noted, the pay is definitely not commensurate with the effort and hours required to succeed as an academic researcher. Overall the abstract rewards of being an academic are just less appealing to women. My experience has been that women tend to take much more pleasure in teaching or occupying bureaucratic positions in academia- they generally don't have to same drive to make original research contributions. When they do its more likely to be a derivative and safe line of research. The atmosphere in research disciplines that trend towards female parity or even a majority tend to have a very different- research is frankly less important and group politics become more complex and time consuming. I seriously worry that certain disciplines will stagnate because of this. I know, what I said is sexist, but it is what I've learned from direct experience.

BinaryShadow · 2010-03-22T06:04:56+00:00

Since feminists have rigged academia to favor girls (from kindergarten all the way through college), why would they need more help now?

2010-03-21T18:31:20+00:00

Remember, what have women always complained about for millennia?

"Inclusion".

Inclusion is never about quality or merit...and never will be.

It's all about beating men now.

typicalredditer · 2010-03-21T19:23:57+00:00

I do CS, but even I know more about the sciences than many women I know who want to enter the field. It's really pathetic that the world is going to hell like this

loranis · 2010-03-21T19:35:15+00:00

I disagree, I think a little affirmative action can be a good thing.

And anyways with women outnumbering men seriously in college graduation rates it might be in our best interest to get on board with this because it might turn out that we need something very similar down the road, just saying...

catlebrity · 2010-03-21T19:42:07+00:00

Men are vastly overrepresented in science, and the profession is rife with sexism. Despite the misleading headline, this doesn't seem to be about quotas at all, merely an attempt to direct some grant money to women. As far as I can tell from the vague wording of the article; does anyone have a link to what specific proposals she's actually talking about?

edit: useful link on sexism in science:

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/science/article3908362.ece

Title	Quotas for women scientists will produce second-rate science
Author	[deleted]
Upvotes	107
Comments	65
Date	March 21, 2010 2:57 PM UTC (16 years ago)
Subreddit	Posted in /r/MensRights
Original Link	https://old.reddit.com/r/MensRights/comments/bg7a1/quotas_for_women_scientists_will_produce/
Archive Link	https://theredarchive.com/r/MensRights/quotas-for-women-scientists-will-produce-second.1050240 https://theredarchive.com/post/1050240

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