The saying goes that those who keep their office door open have a better career. I do not have hard evidence supporting this, but I know that some people shut themselves off in their offices and have then not had a lot of exposure or opportunities.
Chance encounters are quite powerful. “Just a quick question …” through an open door opens the door for something else.
When talking with junior scientists, especially when genders are mixed, keeping the door open is good practice. It avoids the hint of any suspicion that something improper could happen in a meeting. It opens yourself to being audited by a passer-by. This can provide safety to the junior scientist as well. When it is exceptionally noisy, I ask for permission from the junior scientist whether it is okay if I close my office door.
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