Sometimes, yes! They don't expect to see a woman in a position like mine; they automatically
assume that people in positions of authority are men.
I never stamp my foot and act like I'm the boss. It takes patience and cultural understanding to know why people feel the way they do.
When I travel, I rely on my colleagues from other institutions to help me in these situations. But in some countries-Vietnam, for instance-many of the scientists I work
with are women.