Think of a scientist – not anyone in particular, just a random
individual working in the field. Got one? Did you picture a man
or a woman? If it’s the former, you’re probably not alone. There
have been a few times when I’ve only ever known a scientist
through their surname on a citation and automatically assumed
that they were a man, only to learn, to my chagrin, that they’re
actually a woman. It’s always a galling reminder of how
pervasive the stereotype of science as a male endeavour can be,
even at an unconscious level. Now, Brian Nosek from the
University of Virgina, together with scientists from over 14
countries, has charted the extent of these implicit associations
across the globe, and shown that they predict the size of the
gender gap in school-level scientific achievement. Nosek
suggests that these biases and gender gaps feed off each other
in a vicious cycle. The sex differences already present in the
sciences, especially at the top echelons, are hard to miss and
they can make stereotypes feel very