Science: It's a nerd thing.

We have all heard of ‘the leaky pipeline’. This issue of retaining women in top positions is often attributed to child rearing responsibilities. Although not the only factor, it is the most discussed  and after at least three decades into this debate, it seems we are still not much closer to solution.  So what else are we doing?

Recently I have been inspired by forums for advocacy of women in science that try to attack the problem by promoting gender neutral actions and discussions. One of my current favorites includes ScienceGrrl (http://www.sciencegrrl.co.uk/) – a group that started in response to insipid and tragically sexist attempts at attracting girls to science like this:

Simply put, science is for everyone. We don't need to perpetuate stereotypes to get someone to consider a career in science.