A panel is a flat piece of material that forms part of a wall, door, or other surface. It can also mean a group of people chosen to discuss something, judge a contest, or make decisions.
From Old French 'panel', a diminutive of 'pan' meaning 'piece' or 'section'. It first meant a small piece of cloth or a section, then expanded to sections of wood, metal, and even groups of people.
A 'panel' on TV and a solar 'panel' on a roof share the same root idea: they’re both just 'pieces' of a larger system. Language recycles the same basic building-block word for both wood and people.
Historically, expert and decision-making panels often excluded women or included them only tokenistically, especially in science, politics, and media. The word itself is neutral, but its usage has reflected systemic gender imbalance in who is seen as an 'expert.'
When organizing or describing a panel, note gender composition and avoid normalizing all-male or heavily skewed panels as default.
["expert group","discussion group","review board"]
Women and gender-diverse experts have long contributed to panels in law, science, and the arts, even when not credited or prominently billed; naming them explicitly in records and publicity helps correct this erasure.
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