Nobel winner loses posts over ‘girls’ comment

Associated Press

LONDON

A week ago, Tim Hunt was a well-known Nobel Prize winner who was promoting science education throughout Europe and the world.

Today he’s widely perceived as a sexist who has been stripped of most of his positions because of inappropriate comments about women in science.

Gone are his position with the European Research Council science committee, his role at the Royal Society and his honorary post at University College London. He said Sunday he was fired from the latter, while the university has said only that his resignation was accepted.

Hunt’s fall followed a speech Tuesday at the World Conference of Science Journalists in South Korea in which he said that girls cause trouble in labs because “you fall in love with them, they fall in love with you, and when you criticize them, they cry.”

The comments caused an instant Twitter storm that quickly led to Hunt, 72, leaving his posts even as he apologized. He has said he had been trying to make a joke, but nevertheless stood by his comment that love affairs in the lab are disruptive to science.

Hunt laments that his cherished career is finished – and some prominent women scientists who thought his remarks were deeply offensive said Sunday the punishment may be too harsh.