Gender equity at MIT
MIT has completed their study of the status of women faculty at the school; see press release, which contains a pointer to the full 100-page report. I'm amused at this bit of the press release:
According to the report, a woman professor at one point asked [MIT Provost Robert A.] Brown, a professor of chemical engineering, whether these complex problems were really fixable. The provost "seemed quite taken aback," the report said.
"This is MIT," Brown replied. "We're engineers. Engineers solve problems."
I can't decide whether that's charming, inspirational, or blind. (Especially given that it was a woman who asked the question and a man who answered it.) Maybe a mix of all of those.