# Frances Ashcroft wins top women in science award



## Northerner (Nov 8, 2011)

Professor Frances Ashcroft has won the top award in the L?OR?AL-UNESCO For Women in Science Awards for 2012.

Professor Ashcroft is one of five women scientists from around the world, one from each continent, that will be named 2012 Laureates for their contribution to science at a ceremony in March.

The $100,000 award recognises Professor Ashcroft?s work in advancing understanding of insulin secretion and a type of diabetes that develops in the first months of life.

http://www.ox.ac.uk/media/news_stories/2011/111108_3.html


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## Robster65 (Nov 8, 2011)

I follow a chap on twitter who is a chemist and writer/journo.

He has, for a while, been encouraging women scientists and graduates to spill the beans on the sexism and sexual assaults that are apparently rife in academia and science in general.

Story of a woman offered promotion, then propositioned by the professor who promoted her and many more.

It's no wonder a lot of women give up if that's what they have to face.

Rob


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## trophywench (Nov 8, 2011)

Haha Robster! - how did that one isolated smallpox case arise from the WHO Lab at B'ham Uni all those years ago!  Wherever there are male and female together, one or more of them will be having it off with one or more of them - of their own free will or otherwise.

At work, a woman we knew who worked for a rival company and who we didn't like much because she was always condescending to everyone else as if she was important which she wasn't - was made redundant.  It wiped the smile off her face though and undid all her ridiculously ambitious plans - cos she'd been sleeping with the wrong Director .......

Oh - how we laughed .......

I think there definitely still is a 'glass ceiling' in some organisations whatever anyone tries to do about it.  (legislation and so forth - makes little difference universally)  People/companies/organisations either have the ethic of being fair to both sexes etc - or they don't.


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## randomange (Nov 8, 2011)

Northerner said:


> Professor Frances Ashcroft has won the top award in the L?OR?AL-UNESCO For Women in Science Awards for 2012.
> 
> Professor Ashcroft is one of five women scientists from around the world, one from each continent, that will be named 2012 Laureates for their contribution to science at a ceremony in March.
> 
> ...



Oh damn, she spoke about her work at our unit last week and I missed it! It was apparently a really interesting lecture too.   A couple of people in our lab went, and said it was fascinating!


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## Copepod (Nov 8, 2011)

Perhaps I shouldn't admit that I met my partner while working at a science research establishment. As soon as his male colleague who was my supervisor realised that we'd been kayaking together, he sat me down and told me not to mess him (partner) about, as he (supervisor) had seen how he'd been affected by being dumped while they were overwintering in Antarctica and by another girlfriend in Leeds. I never worked directly for my partner. The connection has only led to being asked to join a natural history society committee by two of his colleagues, who are President & Vice President - they knew from working with me and from my partner's comments, that I was reliable and practical. They couldn't offer me any paid work, though, even thoguh they wanted to.

"Hands off in work time" and "don't mix business with pleasure" rules are good practice.


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