• It’s February already, and the relentless pace of work is making it hard to enjoy any free time. Lately, I’ve been dealing with unsettling changes in the lab. Particularly unsettling was the recent expulsion of a skilled female PhD student whose project failed despite her best efforts.
• The fact that all recent departures from the lab have been women raises troubling questions. With a statistically low chance of this happening by chance, it suggests a possible bias or discrimination against women in the lab. This seems especially likely during budget constraints.

  Is There Bias Behind Who Gets Let Go?

  Illing, Schmieder and Trenkle (2024) found post-layoff earnings losses run about a third higher for women. According to Hyde (2005), a review of 46 meta-analyses found that men and women perform similarly on the vast majority of cognitive and psychological measures. This undercuts the idea that a field’s gender skew reflects differences in underlying ability.
• As someone aiming to become a good leader, I’m committed to supporting and ensuring the success of women in my future lab. It’s clear that women in male-dominated fields face unique challenges, and I intend to advocate for a fair and inclusive environment.

Why Are PhD Students Getting Expelled From ‘Our’ Lab?

Can’t believe it’s already February… Time really flies when you work around the clock.

They say that after a couple of years, you get into the groove and start enjoying your free time. But for now, it feels like I’m just working and sleeping. 

It’s also tough to concentrate when odd things are happening around you. For instance, one of the PhD students in the lab, who was also working on an experimental project, didn’t get her contract extended recently. Here, contracts are typically for a year and a half, with a chance to renew for another 2.5 years.

Strangely enough, this means that all the women have been let go from the lab so far.

There was another female Postdoc who was also let go. I never got to meet her, as she left before I arrived. I’ve heard she was a bit odd and didn’t fit in well, but who really knows…

Anyway, the PhD student who just received the notice was quite skilled and gave it her all. Unfortunately, the project didn’t work out for reasons beyond her control. Now, with two out of around ten employees being let go and both of them being women, it raises many questions ion my mind.

When you look at sheer statistics, the odds of this happening by chance are really low — about 5%. Which means that women are likely targeted in this lab.

It’s possible they were struggling mentally, which can happen since the work gets tough. Or maybe, unfairly, women are being targeted when there’s a budget crunch because they assume they won’t fight back. That tracks with Babcock and Laschever’s negotiation research. I don’t have all the details, but it doesn’t sit well with me.

What Is It Like Being a Woman in a Male-Dominated Field?

I don’t understand why people believe it’s easier for women in male-dominated fields just because there are fewer of them. 

In fact, it seems to be the opposite: women are just as capable as men. According to Moss-Racusin, Dovidio, Brescoll, Graham and Handelsman (2012), science faculty at research-intensive universities took part in a controlled study. They rated identical application materials as significantly less competent and hireable when the applicant was given a female name instead of a male one. This shows that subtle gender bias can shape outcomes for women in academic science. so when there are fewer of them in a particular field, it likely means they’re facing more challenges. For me, my goal is to become a good leader someday, and I’m committed to ensuring that women thrive in my lab.