I am deeply disturbed by the way a concern to dampen the fury of the twitter mob has legitimised attacks that are wholly unfounded, indeed fantastical. By way of contrast, A UCL anthropology student today said that during a recent entire day of boring ERC presentations to post docs Tim Hunt's ('deeply politically incorrect') contribution was the only one that made the day worth attending and changed her understanding of her career. She said that she deeply regrets that we have thrown him to the dogs. I share her sentiment.
A
Ann R. Troise
11 years ago
Can't anybody take a joke from an old-timer any more?
Give him a break. Give him his jobs back.
A
Adil Khan
11 years ago
Reinstatement with apologies is the least that needs to be done.
T
Thomas
11 years ago
The loud-mouthed, poorly-informed, context-missing collective social hive has become the Thought Police, destroying anything over nothing, forcing everything to go along or go down. The havoc they've wreaked forgotten only a few clicks and tweets later.
A
Anonymous
11 years ago
totally unfair for Dr. Tim Hunt to lose his job over a silly comment. Give Sir Hunt his Job back .
J
Jess Waywell
11 years ago
Political correctness gone mad - I am female and have never witnessed a male colleague cry at work during a 25 year employment history to date ( I have been informed by some male colleagues that if they were to cry they would do so in the toilets). I have however, supported tearful female colleagues on numerous occasions who had no hesitation crying opening in large open plan offices.
C
Corwin Sullivan
11 years ago
The treatment of Tim Hunt by UCL and the ERC has been disgraceful, unless perhaps there's a great deal more to this story than has been reported. The articles that have appeared in the media, however, suggest a censorious (not to mention ridiculous, totalitarian and contemptible) rush to condemn an excellent scientist who made an arguably unfortunate joke.
C
Constantine Kurbatov
11 years ago
Whether he was right or was wrong — putting him out was unfair and harms science much more than his words...
K
K. Wendt
11 years ago
What a loss for science in the UK and in Europe. The University College and the ERC are clearly overreacting and should reinstate him as soon as possible, if he still wants. Punishing a great scientist for silly jokes is not the support that women in science need.
S
Siddartha Rao
11 years ago
If the facts are as reported, UCL's spineless conduct is shocking. Tim Hunt made an ill-advised gaffe, which hardly merits resignation and career destruction. He is still a Nobel Laureate scientist with much to contribute. Shame on the shortsighted bureaucratic idiots who were so concerned about currying favor with thirteen year olds on Twitter that they sacrificed their own. I suspect they won't accomplish in a lifetime what Tim Hunt achieved in one day working in his laboratory. Pitiful, shameful, cowardly behavior. They should all be sacked.
M
Matthew Cockerill
11 years ago
I was a lucky enough to be a graduate student in Tim's lab and have huge respect for his integrity. His words were ill-chosen, but his subsequent treatment has been nothing short of appalling.
F
F Hooton
11 years ago
I got thrown out a chemistry lab because I couldn't program computers. It ruined my life and career for almost 10 years. It got no publicity. It was also illegal. My PhD supervisor was never reprimanded or punished. I never got justice. I am now doing an unpaid ecology research internship. This Tim Hunt incident is being blown totally out of proportion. It is sad that such a decorated scientist, FRS, Royal Society Royal Medal and Nobel prize, can be so quickly and ruthlessly got-rid-of. He was silly and unworldly to say it, but brilliant academics can be eccentric and people make mistakes.
L
Lars Muckli
11 years ago
I might not agree with the taste of his joke... there are however only very few people whose taste in Jokes I realy value.. should we sack all others?
P
Paul White
11 years ago
We cannot allow this erosion of free speech to continue. Let us all stand up and be counted and say no to the fascists who are trying to create this intolerant society.
A
Ali Jamee
11 years ago
freedom of speech, he is a genius what's wrong with you
S
Saemundur Gardar Halldorsson
11 years ago
UCL's reaction to a silly joke made by an outstanding scientist is outragious and discredits the institution and the UK as a democracy respecting the rule of law.
M
Marc Taylor
11 years ago
Mr. Hunt should never have been fired in the first place. There's a reason governments don't negotiate with terrorists.
A
Anonymous
11 years ago
Reinstate him. Do not pamper to mentally ill feminists who are permitted to be sexist and racist whilst keeping their jobs.
V
Victoria Williams
11 years ago
I've been on the receiving end of many a buffoonish, sexist comment, but this is an idiotic witch hunt, fuelled by the rancid hot air of social media and helped along by dim witted, no backbone university personnel who should help this man and his wife withstand the storm, rather than throw them to the wolves.
We all say idiotic things and his comments were stupid and offensive. But let's try and reinstate the long lost art of putting things into perspective.
An injustice which needs to be reversed.
I am deeply disturbed by the way a concern to dampen the fury of the twitter mob has legitimised attacks that are wholly unfounded, indeed fantastical. By way of contrast, A UCL anthropology student today said that during a recent entire day of boring ERC presentations to post docs Tim Hunt's ('deeply politically incorrect') contribution was the only one that made the day worth attending and changed her understanding of her career. She said that she deeply regrets that we have thrown him to the dogs. I share her sentiment.
Can't anybody take a joke from an old-timer any more? Give him a break. Give him his jobs back.
Reinstatement with apologies is the least that needs to be done.
The loud-mouthed, poorly-informed, context-missing collective social hive has become the Thought Police, destroying anything over nothing, forcing everything to go along or go down. The havoc they've wreaked forgotten only a few clicks and tweets later.
totally unfair for Dr. Tim Hunt to lose his job over a silly comment. Give Sir Hunt his Job back .
Political correctness gone mad - I am female and have never witnessed a male colleague cry at work during a 25 year employment history to date ( I have been informed by some male colleagues that if they were to cry they would do so in the toilets). I have however, supported tearful female colleagues on numerous occasions who had no hesitation crying opening in large open plan offices.
The treatment of Tim Hunt by UCL and the ERC has been disgraceful, unless perhaps there's a great deal more to this story than has been reported. The articles that have appeared in the media, however, suggest a censorious (not to mention ridiculous, totalitarian and contemptible) rush to condemn an excellent scientist who made an arguably unfortunate joke.
Whether he was right or was wrong — putting him out was unfair and harms science much more than his words...
What a loss for science in the UK and in Europe. The University College and the ERC are clearly overreacting and should reinstate him as soon as possible, if he still wants. Punishing a great scientist for silly jokes is not the support that women in science need.
If the facts are as reported, UCL's spineless conduct is shocking. Tim Hunt made an ill-advised gaffe, which hardly merits resignation and career destruction. He is still a Nobel Laureate scientist with much to contribute. Shame on the shortsighted bureaucratic idiots who were so concerned about currying favor with thirteen year olds on Twitter that they sacrificed their own. I suspect they won't accomplish in a lifetime what Tim Hunt achieved in one day working in his laboratory. Pitiful, shameful, cowardly behavior. They should all be sacked.
I was a lucky enough to be a graduate student in Tim's lab and have huge respect for his integrity. His words were ill-chosen, but his subsequent treatment has been nothing short of appalling.
I got thrown out a chemistry lab because I couldn't program computers. It ruined my life and career for almost 10 years. It got no publicity. It was also illegal. My PhD supervisor was never reprimanded or punished. I never got justice. I am now doing an unpaid ecology research internship. This Tim Hunt incident is being blown totally out of proportion. It is sad that such a decorated scientist, FRS, Royal Society Royal Medal and Nobel prize, can be so quickly and ruthlessly got-rid-of. He was silly and unworldly to say it, but brilliant academics can be eccentric and people make mistakes.
I might not agree with the taste of his joke... there are however only very few people whose taste in Jokes I realy value.. should we sack all others?
We cannot allow this erosion of free speech to continue. Let us all stand up and be counted and say no to the fascists who are trying to create this intolerant society.
freedom of speech, he is a genius what's wrong with you
UCL's reaction to a silly joke made by an outstanding scientist is outragious and discredits the institution and the UK as a democracy respecting the rule of law.
Mr. Hunt should never have been fired in the first place. There's a reason governments don't negotiate with terrorists.
Reinstate him. Do not pamper to mentally ill feminists who are permitted to be sexist and racist whilst keeping their jobs.
I've been on the receiving end of many a buffoonish, sexist comment, but this is an idiotic witch hunt, fuelled by the rancid hot air of social media and helped along by dim witted, no backbone university personnel who should help this man and his wife withstand the storm, rather than throw them to the wolves. We all say idiotic things and his comments were stupid and offensive. But let's try and reinstate the long lost art of putting things into perspective.