Microbial cultures: geeks, girls and gender in the laboratory and beyond

As we all know, during the 20^th century women made great gains in entering the professional workforce, particularly in business, law and medicine. However, most science and engineering disciplines remain dominated by men, and across all fields women are underrepresented in leadership positions. Why do traditional gender roles play such an important role in career selection and advancement? What do biology and social science research reveal about the intersection between sex and science? Do scientists, who value their objectivity, display unconscious bias? Do microbiologists and other biotechnologists display cultural preconceptions about the roles of men and women? How can universities, companies and professional societies best utilize the intellectual talents of everyone? This talk will address some of these issues.