World

Physics May Be Sexy But Sexist Physicists Are Not: Prof Fired From CERN

An Italian professor working at one of the world’s most high-profile scientific institutions has been fired after igniting a firestorm of anger over his misogynistic beliefs.
Sputnik

'Absolutely no Danger': CERN Plans to Build More Powerful Collider - Professor
In the wake of a baffling September 2018 lecture at CERN made by Italian physicist Alessandro Strumia in which he declared women to be below men in their ability to comprehend and conduct physics research, the prominent scientific association that manages the Large Hadron Collider has suspended its association with the figure.

The original talk — given to an audience of young women — primarily concerned gender politics within the subculture of high-energy physicists. In a short presentation during a CERN workshop, Strumia used the fact that men had received more awards for physics than women to prove that women were less qualified that men in the field.

The professor also complained about what he referred to as "gender Marxism" in the field, specifically noting his own professional failures in seeking prestigious appointments at highly-placed scientific facilities, according to Gizmodo.com.

His official ouster from CERN — the largest particle physics lab on the planet — occurred Thursday, according to multiple reports.

"As a result of its own investigation and following the decision taken by the University of Pisa, CERN decided not to extend Professor Strumia's status of Guest Professor," the facility stated, cited by BBC.

The Shift: Physicists Refute Scientist’s Gender-Based ‘Pseudoscience’ at CERN
Following almost unilateral disapprobation, official reaction to Sturmia's September assertions was swift. CERN quickly removed his talk from the website and shut him out of official activities and research. The facility also vowed that an investigation would ensue, even as the Italian professor's primary employer, the University of Pisa, publicly sanctioned him.

"The actual presentation was not uploaded ahead of time," observed theoretical physicist and CERN workshop organizer Marika Taylor of the University of Southampton in the UK.

"The content and delivery was unprofessional and violated codes of conduct," Taylor added, cited by Gizmodo.

Women scientists around the globe lauded CERN's widely-publicized move.

"The recent [CERN] statement is a powerful message for scientists all over the world; irrespective of your status, you will be held accountable for your actions," noted Imperial College London physicist Jessica Wade, cited by the BBC.

Discuss