This Nobel Prize Has A Serious Diversity Problem | HuffPost

Only two women have ever won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 115 years.

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The Nobel Prize in Physics was awarded Tuesday to a group of scientists for their studies of unusual states of matter such as in superconductors.

The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences hailed winners David Thouless, Duncan Haldane and Michael Kosterlitz for their pioneering work, but some scientists criticized the lack of diversity in the category ahead of the announcement.

Only two women have ever won out of the 201 Nobel Laureates awarded the prize since the category was established in 1901. That makes it the Nobel Prize with the smallest percentage of female winners. But as astrophysicist Dr. Katherine J. Mack describes below, the number of women obtaining doctorates in physics is actually increasing.

The first woman to win the Nobel Prize in Physics was the physicist and chemist Marie Curie in 1903. The next winner was the theoretical physicist Maria Goeppert Mayer in 1963. We’re still waiting more than half a century later for another woman to win, so it’s not surprising that Mack called out the diversity issues surrounding the award.

Mack made headlines earlier this summer when she shut down a Twitter troll who tweeted she should “learn some actual science” and stop believing the climate change “scam.”

“I dunno, man, I already went and got a PhD in astrophysics. Seems like more than that would be overkill at this point,” she tweeted back.

Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling joined in the smackdown in a magical show of support for Mack.

Before You Go

Women Who Have Won A Nobel Prize

Donna Strickland, The Nobel Prize In Physics, 2018(01 of47)

Donna Strickland, an associate professor at the University of Waterloo, was honored for her "method of generating high-intensity, ultra-short optical pulses." She is only the third woman in history to win the physics prize. (credit:Peter Power / Reuters)

Malala Yousafzai, The Nobel Peace Prize, 2014(02 of47)

Malala Yousafzai won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014 for her work in promoting educational opportunities for girls. (credit:Edgard Garrido / Reuters)

May-Britt Moser, The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, 2014(03 of47)

May-Britt Moser is a Norwegian psychologist and neuroscientist. She won the prize in 2014 "for their discoveries of cells that constitute a positioning system in the brain". (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Alice Munro, The Nobel Prize in Literature 2013(04 of47)

Famous for books like 'Runaway' and 'Too Much Happiness', Alice Munro was called "master of the contemporary short story" when she won the prize in 2013. (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, The Nobel Peace Prize 2011(05 of47)

Current president of Liberia Ellen Johnson Sirleaf for "non-violent struggle for the safety of women and for women's rights to full participation in peace-building work". (credit:John Moore via Getty Images)

Leymah Gbowee, The Nobel Peace Prize 2011(06 of47)

Liberian peace activist Leymah Gbowee campaigns for women's rights and helped to end the Second Liberian Civil War in 2003. She was given the prize for "non-violent struggle for the safety of women and for women's rights to full participation in peace-building work". (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Tawakkol Karman, The Nobel Peace Prize 2011(07 of47)

Yemeni journalist, politician and senior member of the of Al-Islah political party for her "non-violent struggle for the safety of women and for women's rights to full participation in peace-building work". (credit:FREDERICK FLORIN/AFP/GettyImages))

Elizabeth H. Blackburn, The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2009(08 of47)

Biological researcher Elizabeth H. Blackburn was honoured for "the discovery of how chromosomes are protected by telomeres and the enzyme telomerase. (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Carol W. Greider, The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2009(09 of47)

American molecular biologist was honoured for "the discovery of how chromosomes are protected by telomeres and the enzyme telomerase". (credit:Pascal Le Segretain via Getty Images)

Herta Müller, The Nobel Prize for Literature, 2009 (10 of47)

German novelist and poet Herta Müller won the award in 2009. Her "concentration of poetry and the frankness of prose" was said to depict "the landscape of the dispossessed". (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Elinor Ostrom, The Nobel Prize in Economics, 2009(11 of47)

American political economist became the first woman to win a Nobel Prize in economics. She was honoured "for her analysis of economic governance, especially the commons". (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Ada E. Yonath, The Nobel Prize Award in Chemistry, 2009(12 of47)

Israeli crystallographer Ada E. Yonath is most known for her work on the structure of the ribosome. (credit:Pascal Le Segretain via Getty Images)

Françoise Barré-Sinoussi, The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2008(13 of47)

Françoise Barré-Sinoussi was honoured after discovering HIV in 1983. (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Doris Lessing, The Nobel Prize in Literature 2007(14 of47)

British novelist Doris Lessing, most famous for 'The Golden Notebook' was honoured in 2007.The committee noted: "that epicist of the female experience, who with scepticism, fire and visionary power has subjected a divided civilisation to scrutiny". (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Linda B. Buck, The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, 2004 (15 of47)

American biologist received the prize for her "discoveries of odorant receptors and the organization of the olfactory system". (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Wangari Muta Maathai, The Nobel Peace Prize, 2004(16 of47)

Kenyan environmental and political activist won "for her contribution to sustainable development, democracy and peace". (credit:Gurinder Osan/AP)

Elfriede Jelinek, The Nobel Prize for Literature, 2004(17 of47)

Austrian playwright and novelist won "for her musical flow of voices and counter-voices in novels and plays that with extraordinary linguistic zeal reveal the absurdity of society's clichés and their subjugating power". (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Shirin Ebadi, The Peace Nobel Prize, 2003(18 of47)

The Iranian lawyer, human right's activist and founder of Defenders of Human Rights Center in Iran won "for her efforts for democracy and human rights. She focused especially on the struggle for the rights of women and children". (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Jody Williams, The Nobel Peace, 1997(19 of47)

The American political activist was honoured "for her work for the banning and clearing of anti-personnel mines". (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Wislawa Szymborska, The Nobel Prize for Literature, 1996(20 of47)

Polish poet Wislawa Szymborska won "for poetry that with ironic precision allows the historical and biological context to come to light in fragments of human reality". (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Christiane Nüsslein-Volhard, The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, 1995(21 of47)

The German biologist won "for her discoveries concerning the genetic control of early embryonic development". (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Toni Morrison, The Nobel Prize for Literature, 1993(22 of47)

Best known for 'The Bluest Eye', 'Song of Solomon' and 'Beloved', Toni Morrison "who in novels characterised by visionary force and poetic import, gives life to an essential aspect of American reality" won in 1993. (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Rigoberta Menchú Tum, The Nobel Peace Prize, 1992(23 of47)

Rigoberta Menchú Tum, has dedicated her life to publicising the rights of Guatemala's indigenous people.She won "in recognition of her work for social justice and ethno-cultural reconciliation based on respect for the rights of indigenous peoples". (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Nadine Gordimer, The Nobel Prize for Literature, 1991(24 of47)

The South African writer and political activist "who through her magnificent epic writing has - in the words of Alfred Nobel - been of very great benefit to humanity" won in 1991. (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Aung San Suu Kyi, The Nobel Peace Prize, 1991(25 of47)

The chairperson of the National League for Democracy in Burma won in 1991 "for her non-violent struggle for democracy and human rights". (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Gertrude B. Elion, The Nobel Prize for Medicine, 1988(26 of47)

American biochemist and pharmacologist won "for her discoveries of important principles for drug treatment". (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Dr Rita Levi-Montalcini, The Nobel Prize for Medicine, 1986(27 of47)

The Italian developmental neurobiologist was for many years the oldest living recipient of the Nobel Prize until she died age 103 in 2012. She was honoured in 1986 "for her discoveries of growth factors". (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Barbara McClintock, The Nobel Prize for Medicine, 1983(28 of47)

The American scientist won "for her discovery of mobile genetic elements". (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Professor Alva Myrdal, The Nobel Peace Prize, 1982(29 of47)

Swedish-born Professor Alva Myrdal devoted her life to improving the conditions of the working class through the Social Democrat Party. She fought for nuclear weapons-free zones in Europe. (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Rosalyn Yalow, The Nobel Prize for Medicine, 1977(30 of47)

The American medical physicist won "for the development of radioimmunoassays of peptide hormones". (credit:Keystone via Getty Images)

Mother Teresa, The Nobel Peace Prize, 1979(31 of47)

Roman Catholic religious sister Mother Teresa won in 1979. (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Betty Williams , The Nobel Peace Prize, 1976(32 of47)

From Northern Ireland, Betty Williams won after confounding the Community of Peace People. (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Mairead Corrigan, The Nobel Peace Prize, 1976(33 of47)

Mairead Corrigan is a peace activist from Northern Ireland. (credit:JANEK SKARZYNSKI via Getty Images)

Nelly Sachs, The Nobel Prize for Literature, 1966(34 of47)

The Jewish German poet spoke of the experiences of Jewish people during WW2. (credit:Central Press via Getty Images)

Dorothy Crowfoot Hodgkin, The Nobel Prize in Chemistry, 1964 (35 of47)

British biochemist won "for her determinations by X-ray techniques of the structures of important biochemical substances". (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Maria Goeppert Mayer, The Nobel Prize in Physics, 1963 (36 of47)

The German-born American theoretical physicist won "for her discoveries concerning nuclear shell structure". (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Dr. Gerty Theresa Cori, The Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine 1947(37 of47)

Gerty Theresa Radnitz Cori and her husband, Dr. Carl Cori won "for their discovery of the course of the catalytic conversion of glycogen". (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Emily Greene Balch, The the Nobel Prize, 1946(38 of47)

The American economist and writer won in 1946. (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Gabriela Mistral, The Nobel Prize for Literature, 1945 (39 of47)

The author won "for her lyric poetry which, inspired by powerful emotions, has made her name a symbol of the idealistic aspirations of the entire Latin American world". (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Pearl S Buck, The Nobel Prize for Literature, 1938(40 of47)

The author was honoured "for her rich and truly epic descriptions of peasant life in China and for her biographical masterpieces". (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Irène Joliot-Curie, The Nobel Prize in Chemistry, 1935(41 of47)

Daughter of the famous Marie Curie, scientist Irène Joliot-Curie pictured here with Albert Einstein was honoured "in recognition of her synthesis of new radioactive elements". (credit:AFP via Getty Images)

Jane Addams, The Nobel Peace Prize, 1931(42 of47)

Social worker and public philosopher Jane Addams won after founding the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom. (credit:Keystone-France via Getty Images)

Grazia Deledda, The Nobel Prize for Literature, 1926(43 of47)

Italian writer Grazia Deledda won "for her idealistically inspired writings which with plastic clarity picture the life on her native island and with depth and sympathy deal with human problems in general". (credit:Culture Club via Getty Images)

Sigrid Undset, The Nobel Prize fior Literature, 1928(44 of47)

Norwegian novelist Sigrid Undset was honoured "principally for her powerful descriptions of Northern life during the Middle Ages". (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Selma Lagerlof, The Nobel Prize for Literature, 1909(45 of47)

The Swedish author was the first woman to win the Nobel Prize for literature. She was honoured "in appreciation of the lofty idealism, vivid imagination and spiritual perception that characterise her writings" in 1909. (credit:Culture Club via Getty Images)

Baroness Bertha Sophie Felicita von Suttner, The Nobel Peace Prize, 1905(46 of47)

Baroness von Suttner was the first woman to be awarded the Peace Prize. She wrote one of the nineteenth century's most influential books, the anti-war novel 'Lay Down Your Arms'. (credit:Hulton Archive via Getty Images)

Marie Curie, The Nobel Prize in Physics, 1903 And The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 1911(47 of47)

Marie Curie is the only woman to ever be awarded two Nobel Prizes. She received the Physics Prize in 1903 "in recognition of the extraordinary services she rendered by her joint research on the radiation phenomena discovered by Professor Henri Becquerel." She received the Chemistry Prize in 1911 "in recognition of her services to the advancement of chemistry by the discovery of the elements radium and polonium, by the isolation of radium and the study of the nature and compounds of this remarkable element". (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)

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