University of ColoradoBoulder

GoingBlindtoSeetheStars:RemovingPINameDecreasesGenderBiasinHubbleProposal

Ratings

Stefanie K. JohnsonUniversity of Colorado-Boulder

University of ColoradoBoulder

BackgroundGenderdiversityleadstogreaterinnovation

Womenrepresentonly28%ofallS&Eoccupations

Evidencethatbiasagainstwomendoesexist

Institutionalforces– genderroleexpectationsandavailablerolemodels

University of ColoradoBoulder

BlindingHubbleimplementedblindingprocedureNostudieshavetestedimpactofblindingprocedures

University of ColoradoBoulder

MethodQuasi-experimentalfieldstudy

InvestigatetheeffectsofHubbleblinding

Cycle21andCycle24

Onlyabout20%ofapplicationsreceiveaccess

University of ColoradoBoulder

University of ColoradoBoulder

University of ColoradoBoulder

University of ColoradoBoulder

HSTVisitTworesearchersattendedthe2017TACmeeting

Qualitativeapproach

Blindingremovedfirstname(leavinginitial)anddidnotidentifyPI

Focusedoncontentandtoneofconversations

University of ColoradoBoulder

QualitativeApproachObserved13ofthe16panelsacrossthreedays

Recordednotesonapplicationconversations

Observedthat50%ofapplicationconversationsincludesomementionofthePIorteam

University of ColoradoBoulder

ThePIandTeam“He[referringtotheauthor]isverywellqualified”

“Mygrouphasbenefittedalotfrompreviousworkfromthisteam”

Panelmembersevenpulledupresearcharticlesbytheteamandnotedtheirhighcitationcount

University of ColoradoBoulder

Recommendations• Fullyblindtheapplications

• Authorguidelines

• Separateevaluationofscienceandmanagement

• Moretrainingforpanelchairs

• Trainingonuseofscaleanddisucssions