Academics Anonymous: sexism is driving women out of science

"There really should be a rule against women having children in science."

"Well I'm not hiring her, she was on maternity leave."

"Sorry about all the women in this laboratory, but at least they're good to look at."

When I heard each of these statements from my professor, I was stunned. But the more worrying thought is that actually, I don't think his attitude is uncommon.

I remember my very first day at university. I walked into a lecture on molecular biology and saw fewer than 10 women in a class of 100.

I completed my PhD as the only female in the research group. I attend conferences where female scientists are few and far between. Why are women still discouraged from following a career in science?

Women have made significant contributions to the field. Marie Curie was a pioneering physicist and chemist, a Nobel prize winner and the discoverer of elements. And yet, ask a school child about her achievements and they will tell you how she walked around clumsily with radioactive isotopes in her pocket.

Elizabeth Blackwell, a particular heroine of mine, was the first woman to receive a medical degree. However, her acceptance into university was based on a ludicrous prank by the male students in her class, who voted to admit her because they didn't believe it would really happen.

Rosalind Franklin made critical observations leading to the discovery of the DNA double helix, but controversy rages over why wasn't accorded credit for her work. Have things changed?

Women in science face persistent challenges and discrimination. My less experienced male colleagues will attend conferences instead of me. I will be told by my supervisor not to worry about enthusiasm and hard work because in the end, I will leave science for marriage and children.

I have been asked to divulge my relationship status and future maternity plans in interviews. I have even watched my professor refuse to interview astounding female candidates because they have a child. It is completely unacceptable.

My laboratory is filled with intelligent, motivated and career-driven women. But I sit and watch the motivation leak out of them following constant bullying. Many of them will leave academia. I recently decided to have a break myself. To this day, I've only had the pleasure of meeting one female professor. She is wonderfully successful but an unfortunate rarity.

It feels a little like a ticking time bomb. I love science. I love performing and analysing experiments in the hope it may one day have serious impact on health. However, in the back of my mind, I know that it's going to be short-lived.

I want children and to bring up a family. This will ultimately lead to sacrificing my career anywhere beyond a senior post-doc level. It's a difficult decision women face in any career. Having your cake and eating it? Not in science.

So where do we go from here? The support from many societies such as the L'Oreal Women in Science organisation or the WISE campaign helps to promote female involvement in science, technology, engineering and maths (Stem) subjects. Strenuous efforts are being made to get girls to consider science, engineering and mathematical careers.

But further down the line, there are a large number of disillusioned women leaving science and academia. What are we doing about that?

Would you like to write for Academics Anonymous? Do you have an idea for a blog post about the trials, tribulations and frustrations of university life? Get in touch: claire.shaw@theguardian.com.

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