Women have made great strides in increasing their involvement in higher education, yet they remain underrepresented in science, technology, engineering & mathematics. As such, February 11th was declared the International Day of Women and Girls in Science since 2015.
While the gender gap is slowly decreasing along with an increased awareness on women’s rights, there is still a long way to go. Below are a few alarming statistics:
- Women are typically given smaller research grants compared to their male colleagues
- Women represent 33.3% of all researchers but only 12% of members of national science academies are women.
- In cutting edge fields such as artificial intelligence, only 22% are women.
- Women only account for 28% of engineering graduates and 40% of graduates in computer science and informatics.
- Female researchers tend to have shorter, less well-paid careers compared to their male counterpart. Their work is also underrepresented in high-profile journals and are frequently overlooked for promotion.
With these statistics in mind, February 11th serves to educate the public on the gender gap in STEM, mobilize change to address the problem at hand, and celebrate and reinforce the achievements of women and girls in science.
Women and girls account for half of the world’s population thus half of its potential. In order to achieve peaceful societies with full human potential and sustainable development, gender balance is a must. Use the hashtag #WomenInScience to join the conversation, defy gender stereotypes, and raise awareness about the importance of including more women and girls in STEM fields! Be part of the discussion and be the change you want to see.
In recognition of the 7th annual International Day of Women and Girls in Science, the PSG hosted our first ever FREE panel discussion including an interactive Q&A panel. Learn about women and girls in science from some esteemed women in the Canadian bio-pharma industry and be the change in your community by clicking here!
Sources:
https://www.un.org/en/observances/women-and-girls-in-science-day
https://en.unesco.org/commemorations/womenandgirlinscienceday
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