Nobel prizes are still failing to celebrate the diversity of science

The Nobel committees seem to have an unfortunate habit of overlooking women and Black people when it comes to science – this must change, says Alexandra Thompson





It is that time of year when congratulations are in order, as some of the best minds in science are awarded a Nobel prize. The latest winners have a few things in common: they undoubtedly have an impressive body of work – and they are all men, they live in high-income countries and none of them is Black.

Gary Ruvkun and Victor Ambros won the prize for physiology or medicine for their discovery of microRNAs and the role they play in controlling genes, which could help treat cancer. A string of papers led to this discovery, many of which list Rosalind Lee – Ambros’s wife – as an author. The Nobel committee for physiology or medicine was keen to recognise Lee on social media, but didn’t go as far as awarding her a medal. Maybe it thinks that one per household is good enough.



Lee’s omission may seem familiar. In 1962, James Watson, Francis Crick and Maurice Wilkins took home the same prize for discovering the molecular structure of DNA. This was off the back of three papers published in the same issue of Nature. One was co-authored by Wilkins, one by Watson and Crick, and the third by Rosalind Franklin, who captured an image of DNA having two chains. Prior to the image’s publication, it had ended up in the hands of Watson and Crick, and informed their model of DNA as a double helix. Franklin, who died from ovarian cancer in 1958, was left off the Nobel trophy due to a rule against posthumous awards.

Perhaps the committee dislikes the name Rosalind. But 972 people have won Nobel prizes since their inception in 1901, and only 64 were women. The hit rate for the physics prize, awarded this year to John Hopfield and Geoffrey Hinton for discoveries related to machine learning, is particularly bad – only five women have ever won.

At least women in science have seen some recognition. No Black person has ever won a science Nobel, and there have only been 17 Black winners in total across the peace, literature and economics prizes. Many argue that Charles Drew, an African American man who discovered how to store blood plasma long term, should have won for medicine, while Percy Julian, who figured out how to synthesise medical compounds from plants, was snubbed for chemistry.


#NobelSoWhite and #GenderGapInScience#WomenInSTEM, #BlackAndSTEM, and #DecolonizeScience#NobelSoWhite#GenderGapInScience#WomenInSTEM#BlackInSTEM
#LatinxInSTEM#IndigenousInSTEM




______________________________________________________________________________________________________


International Young Scientist Awards
Website link: youngscientistawards.com
Nomination Link: https://youngscientistawards.com/award-nomination/?ecategory=Awards&rcategory=Awardee
Contact Us: support@youngscientistawards.com _________________________________________________________________________________________________________


Social Media:


Twitter : https://twitter.com/youngsc06963908
Linkedin- : https://www.linkedin.com/in/shravya-r...
Pinterest : https://in.pinterest.com/youngscienti...
Blog : https://youngscientistaward.blogspot....
Tumblr : https://www.tumblr.com/blog/shravya9

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Nano-patterned copper oxide sensor provides rapid ultra-low hydrogen detection

Image
Hydrogen is becoming an increasingly popular choice as we shift towards cleaner energy. It can be burned like traditional fuels, producing only water as a byproduct, and can generate electricity when used in fuel cells. However, as hydrogen production, use, and transportation increase, so do safety concerns. Hydrogen is highly flammable at concentrations as low as 4% and is odorless and colorless, making leaks challenging to detect. Hydrogen is becoming an increasingly popular choice as we shift towards cleaner energy. It can be burned like traditional fuels, producing only water as a byproduct, and can generate electricity when used in fuel cells. However, as hydrogen production, use, and transportation increase, so do safety concerns. Hydrogen is highly flammable at concentrations as low as 4% and is odorless and colorless, making leaks challenging to detect. To address these concerns, researchers led by Professor Yutaka Majima from Institute of Science Tokyo (Science Tokyo) have dev...
Read more

Nature’s first fiber optics could light the way to internet innovation

Image
In a discovery that blurs the line between biology and technology, scientists have found that heart-shaped clams use fiber optic–like structures to channel sunlight through their shells in much the same way that telecommunications company use fiber optics to deliver high-speed internet connectivity into homes. This innovation, a first known example of bundled fiber optics in a living creature, helps to explain how heart cockles (Corculum cardissa) — a marine bivalve found in shallow waters across the Indian and Pacific Oceans — harness sunlight to nourish symbiotic algae living within, while protecting them from harmful ultraviolet rays. In return, the algae provide the clams with sugars and other essential nutrients. The finding highlights an evolutionary adaptation that parallels human technological ingenuity, and offers potential insights for the development of bioinspired optical systems in the future, researchers report November 19 in Nature Communications. Heart cockles are sm...
Read more

Wipro Infrastructure Engineering acquires US-based Columbus Hydraulics

Image
  Wipro Hydraulics, the hydraulic cylinder manufacturing division of Wipro Infrastructure Engineering, has acquired Columbus Hydraulics, a US-based hydraulic cylinder manufacturer known for custom solutions in various applications. The acquisition enhances Wipro's North American market position and manufacturing capabilities, following a strategy of growth and innovation in the hydraulics industry.                             Wipro Hydraulics, the hydraulic cylinder manufacturing arm of Wipro Infrastructure Engineering, has announced its acquisition of Columbus Hydraulics, a prominent US-based hydraulic cylinder manufacturer. Founded in 1952, Columbus Hydraulics has earned a reputable status for delivering custom hydraulic solutions across various applications, including agriculture, construction, turf maintenance, and marine operations. Wipro Infrastructure Engineering's CEO and Managing Director, Mr. Pratik K...
Read more