Gender matters

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articleResearchpeer-review

I n a seminar for teaching assistants, one male and one female TA stand up; the professor in charge tells the room that the male TA will get more respect from students. A woman talks to her undergraduate adviser about her desire for a PhD in physics; he replies, “You know physics is hard. Are you sure you want to try to do that?” A physics major asks a senior male professor for advice on getting into a good doctoral program; he suggests that she flirt more at conferences. In his letters of recommendation for students applying to graduate school, a professor consistently describes his male students as “brilliant” and “outstanding” while praising the women for being “conscientious” and “hardworking”; his male students are accepted to more competitive doctoral programs.
Original languageEnglish
JournalPhysics Today
Volume71
Issue number3
Pages (from-to)40-46
ISSN0031-9228
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2018
Externally publishedYes

ID: 332703844