The gender gap in science

Here's an interesting article by Peter Lawrence of the Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, about the gender gap in scientific fields:

Among biomedical students in Europe and in the United States, there are similar numbers of males and females, suggesting perhaps that this subject is equally well suited to both sexes. But with higher and higher rank, the proportion of women falls inexorably—full professors are only about 10% female. Women drop out steadily, and many of them have demonstrated high ability. There is plenty of evidence for similar trends in different branches of science. For example, at the Laboratory of Molecular Biology in Cambridge, UK, where I work, the gender ratio of graduate students is currently 43 male to 35 female, yet the ratio of group leaders is 56 male to 6 female.

Lawrence cites Simon Baron-Cohen's research into gender differences, and describes some average characteristics of the female brain and the male brain, which he believes are strongly dependent on biology and genetics:

Baron-Cohen presents evidence that males on average are biologically predisposed to systemise, to analyse, and to be more forgetful of others, while females on average are innately designed to empathise, to communicate, and to care for others. Males tend to think narrowly and obsess, while females think broadly, taking into account balancing arguments. Classifying individuals in general terms, he concludes that among men, about 60% have a male brain, 20% have a balanced brain, and 20% have a female brain. Women show the inverse figures, with some 60% having a female brain.

Apparently, Science considered this article for several months but declined to publish it, causing a minor "eruption" over the issue in the scientific community (or so the Daily Telegraph says).

I am not sure of the research into all this, so obviously not sure how correct all the assumptions are. But I am persuaded not only by this article but by life experience to think that women and men-while equally valuable and intelligent-are different, think differently, and value different kinds of human relationships.

Maybe this explains some of the overwhelmingly female presence in nursing and elementary education. Often we see this explained as cultural bias, but I wonder how much might simply be due to "the female brain"? That is, men may still rule out nursing and elementary education due to some perceived cultural bias, but women are probably often attracted to nursing and elementary education because of something implicit in those fields.

mary