Academia lost

I am woman, hear me shriek!

“Academia: the environment or community concerned with the pursuit of research, education, and scholarship”.

UC/Scripps will host a symposium on microbiomes, no boys allowed

An article on mission creep might be appropriate here — why is a once-respected institution dedicated to oceanographic research worrying about bladder infections? — but this is more interesting, to me:

During the first day of this event, leading researchers will present on the emerging science of the Urobiome and its recently discovered implications for human health, including common conditions such as urinary tract infection, urinary incontinence and bladder overactivity. 

The following two days will feature high-impact presentations on the latest discoveries in microbiome sciences, with sessions on topics ranging from the microbiome in human disease and wellness and the metabolome, to primate microbiomes, to environmental and ocean microbiomes. For this first edition, we have decided to demonstrate that it is possible to have a large representation of women presenters in a scientific meeting by inviting only women speakers. 

Is there really a difference between female and male research, sufficient to justify banning one while admitting the other? If so, then “settled science” is not so settled; not if it’s dependent on the sex of the researcher.

And will scientists identifying as females be permitted to perform their own studies? If so, how will their results be classified?

We’re in trouble.