Gender politics has warped hirings
and promotions in the world of physics to such an extent that
women less deserving than their male counterparts have got jobs
they are less qualified for, an Italian physicist claimed Friday
in a presentation that got him suspended by the CERN particle
physics lab in Geneva on Monday.
Pisa University lecturer Alessandro Strumia sought to explode
the myth that physics was biased in favour of men, but CERN said
it thought the presentation, with its attacks on individuals,
was unacceptable in any professional context and was contrary to
the CERN Code of Conduct.
It, therefore, decided to remove the relevant slides from the
online repository.
Strumia said he himself had been a victim, allegedly rejected
by the National Nuclear Physics Institute (INFN) which allegedly
hired two female researchers instead of him with fewer research
papers to their name.
He also said Oxford University extended the duration of exams
in favour of women and Italy gave preferential treatment to them
in its grants for scientific subjects.
CERN said these claims were "highly offensive" and suspended
Strumia with immediate effect.
In a statement, CERN said: "CERN is a culturally diverse
organisation bringing together people of many different
nationalities.
"It is a place where everyone is welcome, and all have the
same opportunities, regardless of ethnicity, beliefs, gender or
sexual orientation.
"Indeed, diversity is one of the core values underpinning our
Code of Conduct and the Organization is fully committed to
promoting diversity and equality at all levels.
"CERN always strives to carry out its scientific mission in a
peaceful and inclusive environment.
On Tuesday the INFN also suspended Strumia with immediate
effect.
It said the measure had been taken "pending the results of
inquiries into the case".
The INFN said it had "decided to proceed with the immediate
suspension because Prof Strumia made, in an international public
context, statements injurious to the image of the institute and,
even worse, discriminatory and openly damaging to the reputation
of female and male researchers at the INFN, in violation of its
ethical code and the code of conduct aimed at safeguarding the
dignity of the institute's people".
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