Female scientists have joined together to disprove one astronomer's thesis: science is just "boys with toys."
Shrinivas Kulkarni, an astronomer who teaches astrophysics at the California Institute of Technology, made waves this weekend after he was quoted by NPR as saying, "Many scientists, I think, secretly are what I call 'boys with toys.'"
That casual remark, included in an otherwise unremarkable interview, quickly set off a powerful reaction from women (and men) in the science community who took to Twitter to highlight how tone deaf it is to continue talking as though women have no role in the field.
Using the hashtag #girlswithtoys, scientists from around the world shared dozens of images of women "playing" with microscopes, telescopes, Mars rovers, water pumps and more.
A representative for Kulkarni did not immediately respond to our request for comment.
The loud response comes at a time when the Obama administration and various technology companies are pushing to involve more women in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (or STEM, for short). Women make up barely a quarter of jobs in these professions, according to U.S. Census data.
President Obama has repeatedly tried to spotlight women during annual science fairs at the White House. Last year, his administration named Megan Smith, a former Google executive, to serve as the first female CTO for the United States. Smith has already turned that role into a platform to talk about how popular culture under-represents the contributions of women in science and technology.
I play with Mars rovers. #girlswithtoys pic.twitter.com/j6N5tscc8U— Tanya Harrison (@tanyaofmars) May 17, 2015
Meteorite hunting in Antarctica! #girlswithtoys #ANSMET pic.twitter.com/65QnSNPlK3— Marianne Mader (@MarianneMader) May 17, 2015
Because volcanoes. Also cool. Also what I do. #girlswithtoys pic.twitter.com/fIyt2dgFtw— The (Planet) Doctor (@lostrack621) May 17, 2015
#GirlsWithToys Me checking out water pump & hole melter in Antarctic lake ice so we can send a diver down pic.twitter.com/4BGwJNLREs— Dawn Sumner (@sumnerd) May 17, 2015
Disappointed in outdated thinking abt #WomeninSTEM in @NPR piece. Great response: #girlswithtoys! Here's mine! pic.twitter.com/a0oqAdlaok— Laurie Leshin (@LaurieofMars) May 17, 2015
At @NASA we're #JWST...here's me in the @NASAGoddard cleanroom with one of the mirrors #girlswithtoys pic.twitter.com/TaY13psFBh— Amber Straughn (@astraughnomer) May 17, 2015
My two favorite toys: 64-m telescope and antique violin #girlswithtoys pic.twitter.com/gSWBDOz7C8— Emily Petroff (@ebpetroff) May 17, 2015
Measuring fluxes of C with a leaf gas exchange system and soil CO2 efflux chamber #GirlsWithToys #plantscience pic.twitter.com/FZXYpFlVkZ— Cate Macinnis-Ng (@LoraxCate) May 17, 2015
Me with my 'scopes on top of Mauna Kea. #GirlsWithToys @bealagram pic.twitter.com/jF1QtlY2Kz— Catherine Q. (@CatherineQ) May 17, 2015
I put a navigation sensor test on STS-134, in CDR chair of Endeavour as we finished testing install #GirlswithToys pic.twitter.com/gLP7MnGtAN— Nujoud Merancy (@nujoud) May 17, 2015
My 8yr old daughter driving a rover #GirlsWithToys pic.twitter.com/Lb2hb9vo0f— Frejya Fierce (@melissapierce) May 17, 2015