CERN cuts ties with "sexist" scientist who said that women were less able at physics than men

The European particle physics research centre Cern has cut ties with the scientist who said that women were less able at physics than men.

Cern has decided not to extend Professor Alessandro Strumia’s status of guest professor.

The decision follows an investigation into comments, first reported by BBC News, made by Prof Strumia at a Cern workshop on gender equality.

Prof Strumia told BBC News that he stood by his remarks.

"Some people hated hearing about higher male variance: this idea comes from Darwin, like other offensive ideas that got observational support," he told BBC News.

"Science is not about being offended when facts challenge ideas held as sacred".

He added that he believed that he had not been fairly treated.

"For months, Cern kept 'investigating' if my 30-minute talk might have violated Cern rules [requiring an] 'obligation to exercise reserve and tact in expressing personal opinions and communication to the public'," Prof Strumia said.

"In such a case, they would have opened some procedure, where I would have been able [to defend] myself. This never happened."

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Last Edited by STAX on 03/07/2019 06:11 PM