| > For instance, in a profile of biologist Jill Bargonetti, The New York Times quotes one of Bargonetti’s colleagues saying that, “Jill makes a fantastic role model... because she is married, has two children and has been able to keep up with her research.” It’s hard to imagine anyone saying this about a scientist named Bill. The story’s subtitle piles on, reinforcing the stereotype that women are nurturing and selfless with “A Biologist’s Choice Gives Priority to Students.” The paragraph hits on so many ways in which the popular (press) conception of science and academia is toxic, and sexism is only one part of that toxicity. Yes, the disparity in how female scientists are described in a problem. But that fact that these attributes are absent from descriptions of male academics is also troubling. How are there so many profiles of Professors that don't mention teaching or mentoring even once?! When new phd students ask for advice on choosing a Ph.D. advisor, I give them three strictly ordered criteria: 1. Is this person a good mentor? (Where are their former students? Do those students speak positively and also candidly about their advisor?) 2. Does this person have a work-life balance? (Family? Intense hobby? Good friendships outside of the department? Encyclopedic knowledge of their favorite TV series? An inappropriate percentage of their net worth invested in cars/wines/whatever? Literally, any non-trivial time invested in something other than work most weeks.) 3. Are you excited about the research agendas that they currently have (relatively fresh) money to explore, and do you think this person has the expertise needed to help you push those agendas in the way you want? Those three questions, in that order. If you can't find someone who meets some minimum reasonable threshold for all three, maybe consider expanding your research interests or finding a new department. Profiles of male academic scientists should go beyond individual contributions to discuss teaching/mentoring and work/life balance. After all, it's a profile of a person who is a professor! Teaching/mentoring is a huge chunk of the job, and the person is more than their work. If there's nothing to say about the person other than some brilliant results? If their former students resent them and their family life is in shambles? That's a tragic personal interest story. If the person has a normal relationship with their students and a normal personal life? Then there's no personal interest story at all and the article should maybe just talk about the results instead of profiling the person. |