Best Post I've Read on the Google Memo

After the shout-out to Meena, she suggested I might have more to say on the issue of the Google memo.  I (like I imagine so many others) have been following the array of follow-up articles and posts since this issue erupted.  There is so much to that needs to be said, and I feel that I am not the best person to say it -- what so many others have said in response.  In fact, I'm sad and angry that collectively so many of us are spending so much time thinking about this memo -- to counter that, my hope is that just having the issue of diversity prominently in the news and in the tech-sphere mindset will lead to more discussions and action that will result in actual progress.  

But maybe I have a few things to say, and a pointer to someone who I think has said it best.

1)  Anyone who somehow thinks there doesn't remain active bias against women in mathematics, engineering, and computer science hasn't been talking to actual women in these fields.

2)  In my opinion (and I owe this expression of thought to David Andersen, although these are my words), this memo wasn't about "the science".  My opinion is that the memo author went in with a prior belief of the truth, and then found some science that (at best, does a very poor job) of justifying what he believes is the truth.  That is not how science works.  (David called this "confirmation bias in action".)

3)  While there have been many good posts on the topic, I found this post today says it best, and encourage you all to read it.

Shout-out to Meena Boppana

For some reason (Google*), I found myself thinking of former Harvard student Meena Boppana this week, and thought I'd link to some things, focusing on things she said and did regarding women in math (and computer science) at Harvard, but also on the theme more generally.

https://harvardmathsurvey.wordpress.com/
https://mathbabe.org/2015/05/20/gender-and-the-harvard-math-department/
http://mybiasedcoin.blogspot.com/2015/04/women-in-math-and-computer-science.html
http://harvardpolitics.com/harvard/closing-gender-gap-harvard-can-ameliorate-gender-imbalance-stem-fields/
http://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2015/03/a-quantum-leap-for-women/
http://www.harvardwics.com/who-we-are/