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Correspondence Correspondence Commit to equity for — can we truly encourage and Matt W. Hayward* Bangor Carry on celebrating women researchers support research with the greatest University, UK. Mendel’s legacy academic, economic and societal [email protected] Heads of research agencies from impacts. Ensuring global equity *On behalf of 4 correspondents (see I disagree with Gregory Radick’s nearly 50 countries — large for women in research requires go.nature.com/1w32n9q for full list). strategy for teaching modern and small, with developed and that we each make a personal genetics (Nature 533, 293; emerging economies — adopted commitment to action. 2016). In my view, we should not a Statement of Principles and France A. Córdova National Freelance scientists discard the legacies of Gregor Actions Promoting the Equality Science Foundation, USA. need EU for support Mendel, William Bateson, and Status of Women in Research [email protected] Walter Sutton, Thomas Hunt at the Global Research Council’s As ‘freelance’ scientists, we Morgan and their ilk, whose fifth annual meeting last month undertake research jointly beautiful science continues to in New Delhi (see go.nature. Don’t bank African with academic institutions provide the best explanations for com/1yqtyg). rhinos in Australia and provide Earth-science inheritance. According to a report modelling services for clients — I teach basic genetics to commissioned by the Science and The Australian Rhino Project (see an alternative career path that veterinary students, who learn Engineering Research Board of go.nature.com/28c8s29) aims to European Union funding enables the laws of inheritance without India and Research Councils UK, move 80 rhinoceroses from South us to pursue. If the United any historical context, and to which hosted the meeting, women Africa to Australia by 2019 as Kingdom chooses to leave the biology students, who learn make up only 11% of full science conservation ‘insurance’ against EU after this week’s referendum, the scientific method and how and engineering professors in the poaching epidemic — at a cost small private research it influenced the development the European Union, less than of about US$3.5 million. The first organizations and independent of genetic concepts. The 25% of academics in Asia and less 6 will go this year. In our view, researchers could be doomed. biologists revisit hypotheses than 5% of researchers in some this project is diverting funds Independent researchers proposed to account for the same Middle Eastern countries (see and public interest away from the cannot apply for funding from UK observations — such as Bateson’s go.nature.com/1uywmgu). The actions necessary to conserve the research councils. Private research and W. F. R. Weldon’s contrasting report echoes statistics from the animals in Africa. organizations need demonstrable views of inheritance. They come US National Science Foundation, The scheme is supported by in-house research capacity and to understand that Mendel’s of which I am director (see the South African and Australian a minimum of ten researchers. hypothesis of hereditary units go.nature.com/1rpvmrk for governments, academic These eligibility criteria are at (‘alleles’) explains the data better. the Science and Engineering institutions in Australia, and odds with those of the UK arts They learn that theories and Indicators). corporations and conservation- councils and the European hypotheses are not immutable, At the meeting, we gained management organizations. Its Commission, which consider that science is incomplete, and greater awareness of long- cost equates to more than the proposals from anyone with a that every discovery stimulates standing historical obstacles to anti-poaching budget of South track record in their discipline. new questions. women’s participation in certain African National Parks for 2015. With 88% of UK postdocs With the Boveri–Sutton fields, and of the importance of We suggest that this money would never securing a tenured chromosome theory, it became including gender considerations be better spent on local, on-the- position (The Scientific Century: clear that Mendelian inheritance in research design and outcome ground action in South Africa or Securing our Future Prosperity; is indeed the core of genetics. It analysis. Each of us came on education programmes in Asia Royal Society, 2010), these underpins association-mapping away with a firmer idea of the to reduce demand for rhino horn. requirements need to be relaxed studies, population genetics opportunities to lead within Africa’s rhinos are not even the (see also Nature 520, 144–147; and clinical genetics. Such our jurisdictions, and in a wider highest priority in pachyderm 2015). Entrepreneurial young new information continues to policy context. conservation, particularly scientists could then continue corroborate Mendel’s hypothesis The national research heads because only white rhinos from their research without the of inheritance. There is no need agreed to “expect and encourage private collections are to be backing of a university. to remove Mendel from his improved equality and diversity moved. The global estimated For the United Kingdom to honorary position in the genetics policies and practices” within populations of white and black maintain its competitive edge, curriculum to spark creative their respective research rhinos are 20,170 and 4,880, funding bodies need to recognize science. provinces, and recommended respectively — still further from that the research landscape is Tatiana T. Torres Institute of a list of actions. These included extinction than Indian (2,575), changing. In this era of digital Biosciences, University of São diversity training, recognizing Sumatran (275) and Javan (60) connectivity, scientists can still Paulo, Brazil. unconscious bias, implementing rhinos. be embedded in the research [email protected] family-friendly policies and We feel that the project has community while working creating pathways for women echoes of colonial times, when outside traditional research to rise to leadership positions. African resources were exploited. organizations. CONTRIBUTIONS We agreed to collect follow-up Taking biodiversity assets such Cécile B. Ménard, Melody Correspondence may be data and make them available for as rhinos for ‘safe keeping’ in the Sandells CORES Science and sent to correspondence@ comparative analysis. West seems to us as patronizing Engineering, Burnopfield, nature.com after consulting Only by supporting the best and disempowering as the theft of Newcastle upon Tyne, UK. go.nature.com/cmchno. talent — wherever it hails from cultural artefacts. [email protected] 23 JUNE 2016 | VOL 534 | NATURE | 475 © 2016 Macmillan Publishers Limited. All rights reserved.
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