Theoretical chemistry group takes stand on all-male speaker lists

A theoretical chemistry organisation in France has said that from now on, it will not award funding to conferences where all the invited speakers are male.

The French Theoretical Chemistry Network (RFCT) – part of the country’s National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS) – announced the decision via tweet on 20 April. Its director Sophie Sacquin-Mora, a theoretical chemist who works on modelling proteins, says the RFCT has been looking at ways to address the gender balance of speakers at its conferences for years.