The Nobel Prize is one of the most coveted awards that an individual can receive to demonstrate his or her excellence in improving or changing academics, humanitarian, and environmental for a period. The Science Nobel prize is an academic honor, awarded to individuals responsible for major or fundamental work from an era in science under the guideline laid in Alfred Nobel’s will and statutes. The Royal Swedish Academy of Science awards the physics, economics, and chemistry awards. Whereas the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm awards the physiology and medicine prizes (Gibney, 2018). However, Gibney (2018) argues that for all the honor and prestige of the science awards and the increased contributions in science, gender inequality characterize the science Nobel prizes. The author claims that for all the women contributions and participation in major scientific discoveries, only 3% of women have won the science awards (Gibney, 2018). Therefore, this essay analyzes the changes made and the proposed changes that would facilitate gender equality in science top honors as proposed in Gibney’s article.
What the Nobels are doing
According to Gibney (2018), Hansson, the secretary-general of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, concurs that it is baffling that even in the 21st century; female nominees for the prizes are too few. Hansson hides behind the by-laws on the specific statistics of female nominees for the past 50 years but stated that the committee responsible for awarding the prizes requests the nominators to enhance diversity in geography and gender for the 2019 topic (Gibney, 2018). The initiative for diversity consideration and increasing the number of the nominations a single nominator can nominate as a way to diminish the gender inequalities. Other tweaks include the addition of multiple names under one discovery and the nomination of an individual under three various discoveries.
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Unlike the 3%, female Nobel Prize winners in physics, economics, and chemistry, women have won approximately 20% in the past decade (Gibney, 2018). However, Pelmann was adamant that the gender imbalance of the Nobel Assembly inhibits the female laureates. Therefore, the Nobel Assembly proposed the need for increase the number of women and junior scientists to increase the number of female nominees (Gibney, 2018). Pelmann argued increasing the number of women would increase the number of female laureates because women have a slightly higher probability to nominate women.
What the Nobels are not doing
However, various scientists argued that the changes discussed above are insufficient. According to Gibney (2018), scientists such as Rice, Bohnet, and Uzzi argued that gender equality in the science awards is only possible if the nominating bodies implement radical changes (Gibney, 2018). For instance, Rice stated that the failure to recognize women efforts and contribution in science diminishes the award's reputation. Thus, Rice proposed radical changes in the rules. For example, making a single year awards preserved for women is a radical but effective way to honor women’s effort and contributions in science (Gibney, 2018). Increasing the number of female laureates would diminish the stereotype that men are superior to women, which hinders gender equality.
Conclusion
The article depicted that male dominance in scientific top prizes understates the efforts and contribution of women in scientific discoveries. However, the minor tweaks and proposed changes are slow and inefficient in promoting gender equality in science awards. Therefore, the radical changes such as setting years where all the nominees are female would facilitate fast changes. The committees and boards responsible for nominating and awarding the science Nobel Prizes minor tweaks depict the inadequate motivation to promote gender balance, which is saddening for a body mandated in determining the individuals’ worth to hold the prestigious accolades. Therefore, the bodies must embrace the proposed radical changes if it wants to retain or build-on its reputation.
Reference
Gibney, E. (2018). What the Nobels are — and aren’t — doing to encourage diversity. Nature , 562 (7725), 19-19.
