A new study has been recently published which demonstrates that in 2012 there still exists a significant bias against women in science.

The article, published in PNAS is titled “Science Faculty’s Subtle Bias Favours Male Students”, by Corinne A. Moss-Racusin et al. used the classic method of labelling the same CV either with male, or female names. 127 science faculty from research intensive universities in the US were shown this CV and asked to rate the applicant for a laboratory manager position.  Both male and female faculty rated the male applicant as more competent and hireable than the (identical) female applicant and were also willing to offer a higher starting salary and more career mentoring.

These figures are taken from the report:

This article has recently been discussed by Sean Carroll in his blog for Discover Magazine: Scientists, Your Gender Bias is Showing, and Ilana Yurkiewicz in Scientific American: Study shows gender bias in science is real. Here’s why it matters (which also discusses the opinions which come to light the responses to Sean’s blog). These are both excellent discussions which I encourage you to read.

The ramifications of this result are yet to be seen, but it’s a useful reference to demonstrate that gender bias does still exist in 2012, and the first step in being able to combat this is to realise that it exists.