THREE scientists meet in the cafe of a British university to discuss a candidate they are about to put through a PhD viva. So far, so normal. What is extraordinary is that all three are women. The UK odds of three randomly selected mid-career scientists being women are currently l in 91, as opposed to a 1-in-2 chance for male scientists of equivalent standing. Women are not only a rare commodity in science, their representation also declines sharply as they climb the career ladder (see diagram). We are hardly the first to highlight the depressing statistics. But what is really shocking is the lack of systematic research into why. Theories range from the assertion that girls are less likely to choose science at school to women being less likely to prioritise career over personal life, to glass ceilings preventing them being promoted.
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