As a “female-empowered” company, we are very happy to dedicate today’s post to the “Day of Women and Girls in Science”.
The Day of Women and Girls in Science is celebrated annually on February 11. Established by UNESCO, it aims to stimulate interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics among women and girls and to inspire them to pursue careers in these fields. The aim of the day is to draw attention to the importance of women and girls in science and to ensure that they are adequately promoted and represented here. It is about raising awareness of the importance of diversity and inclusion in science and that women and girls should have the same opportunities in this field as their male colleagues.
To achieve these goals, events and activities are held on this day that give women and girls the opportunity to discover and develop their interests and skills in STEM fields. There are also discussions and panel discussions addressing the challenges faced by women and girls in STEM careers and solutions to overcome those challenges.
Various studies and scientific publications highlight the challenges that women experience in science.
The MINT Autumn Report 2022 by the German Economic Institute shows that women are underrepresented in STEM professions and that this represents a significant obstacle to securing skilled workers in these areas. According to the report, women in STEM professions often struggle with prejudice and a lack of role models. It is argued that overcoming these barriers is necessary to advance women into STEM professions and improve their career prospects.
A central concern of the report is the promotion of women in management positions in STEM professions. Greater representation of women in leadership positions will help create a more positive image of STEM professions and inspire more women to pursue careers in these fields. Overall, the MINT Autumn Report 2022 shows that there is an urgent need to promote women in MINT professions in order to secure the supply of skilled workers and innovative strength in Germany. It is recommended to take political measures to close the gender gap in STEM professions. Businesses are encouraged to increase their diversity efforts.
The article “Advancing Science: How Bias Holds Us Back” by Maria Asplund and Cristin G. Welle also examines the impact of prejudice and discrimination on science. It argues that prejudice and discrimination are widespread in science and that this is a major obstacle to progress in the field. Disadvantaging certain groups leads to a loss of talent and diversity. This in turn has a negative impact on the quality and variety of research results. The authors emphasize that it is important to recognize and combat prejudice and discrimination in science. It recommends taking action to promote diversity and inclusion in science, noting that culture change is needed to achieve this.
How important do you consider the promotion of diversity in science to be? As a female scientist, are you confronted with such challenges in your career?
Sources:
https://mint-frauen-bw.de/internationaler-tag-der-frauen-und-maedchen-in-der-wissenschaft-go-girls/
MINT-Herbstreport 2022, Institut der deutschen Wirtschaft
Advancing Science: How Bias Holds Us Back, Maria Asplund and Cristin G. Welle
