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Does Gender Play a Role for Those Working in Science?
13 January 2011 — 13 January 2011
Hertfordshire, University of
A psychologist at the University of Hertfordshire who conducts research into gender difference will take part in a discussion on Gender and Science at the Wellcome Collection this week (Thursday 13th January) in conjunction with the Times Eureka magazine.
Professor Keith Laws at the University’s School of Psychology, whose recent work found that women with Alzheimer’s Disease experience far greater cognitive deterioration than men with the disease, and established that healthy women are better multitaskers than men, will join Professor Dame Athene Donald, University of Cambridge and Professor Ottoline Leyser, University of York to discuss if gender plays a role for those working in science.
The panel will explore some of the following questions:
- Are there differences in the brain that mean that male and female scientists approach their work differently?
- Is there any evidence that men and women are more suited to different scientific disciplines?
- Why are there so few women at the top of the scientific profession?
- Are there implicit biases that act against women’s progress in science?
- What do you think the single most significant barrier has been for women in science, and can it be overcome?
Commenting on these questions, Professor Laws said:
“I am delighted to be invited for this debate. Gender and science is a crucial area because of its implications for social, educational and political policy. My research has indicated that cognitive differences exist between men and women - the big issue, however, is how such differences are interpreted for and by the general public. This debate will, no doubt, throw new light on the subject.”
Professor Laws new book entitled Category-Specificity: Evidence for Modularity of Mind (https://www.novapublishers.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=11811), which is published this month, also explores differences in how the brains of men and women store knowledge.
Gender and Science will take place at the Wellcome Collection, 183 Euston Road, NW1 2BE from 7-8.30pm:
http://www.wellcomecollection.org/whats-on/events/eureka-live-2.aspx