Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
NIH Director Vows Not To Participate In All-Male Panels As He Calls For More Diverse Representation At Conferences
The New York Times: N.I.H. Head Calls For End To All-Male Panels Of Scientists
The word “scientist” does not specify a gender. And yet, for eons — well, ever since conferences and symposiums emerged from the primordial academic soup — the majority of prominent scientific speakers and panelists have been men. This phenomenon has been documented in studies and spawned many mocking monikers: “manference,” “himposium,” “manel.” People have tried to understand why the Y chromosome so dominates the dais and explain that there really should be more X. (Belluck, 6/12)
The Hill: NIH Director Will No Longer Participate In All-Male Panels
The director of the National Institutes of Health will no longer participate in all-male panels, he announced Wednesday. Francis Collins said in a statement that "it is time to end the tradition in science of all-male speaking panels." The decision comes in response to a report by the National Academy of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine which identified a key role for scientific leaders to play in combatting gender harassment and disparities in women's visibility in science. (Rodrigo, 6/12)
The Washington Post: NIH Director Will No Longer Speak On All-Male Science Panels
Collins speaks about 125 times annually, according to the NIH, often as a keynote speaker but sometimes as part of a panel. His announcement is more important as a signal that one of the world’s top scientists is addressing the issue, according to an activist working for women in science. (Bernstein, 6/12)
