On A Smart Person's Response

In discussing the National Academy of Sciences' election of 17 women, Stanford Chemistry Professor, Dr. John I. Brauman, responds to the reporter's connection between the significant number of women elected and the controversy surrounding Harvard President Summer's remarks about "innate talent":

Dr. Brauman replied that the complicated process of winnowing candidates was well under way before Dr. Summers spoke.

He added that it would be dangerous to draw large conclusions.

"You have to be careful about the statistics of small numbers," he said. For example, 22 of this year's new members are from institutions in California. "I would not know how to put a value judgment on this," Dr. Brauman said.

Smart people always have something to teach us!