International Day of Women and Girls in Science is recognized every year on February 11th. It is a day to recognize the contributions women and girls have made to the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) field, while also addressing the lack of gender diversity within various STEM-related professions. António Guterres, the Secretary General for the United Nations, wrote in his message honoring the day that “From climate change to health to artificial intelligence, the equal participation of women and girls in scientific discovery and innovation is the only way to ensure that science works for everyone.” (United Nations, 2024) While significant strides have been made in the representation of women in science and technology, there are barriers that must be dismantled to recruit more women into the field.
According to data from the United States Census Bureau, from 1970 to 2019 the percentage of women in the STEM workforce increased from 8% to 27%. Men represented 73% of STEM workers in 2019. Despite the gains for women in the STEM workforce, they are not evenly distributed among the different career paths under the STEM umbrella. For example, women “made up nearly half of those in all math (47%) and life and physical science (45%) occupations” while “Women represented only about a quarter of computer workers and 15% of those in engineering occupations.” (United States Census Bureau, 2021) Pew Research Center data supplements this information. “Women earned 85% of the bachelor’s degrees in health-related fields, but just 22% in engineering and 19% in computer science as of 2018.” (Pew Research Center, 2021) For the women working in these careers, they often earn less money than their male colleagues. The median earnings for women in STEM careers was $66,200, while the median earnings for men was $90,000. (Pew Research Center, 2021)
Women in STEM frequently encounter additional personal and systemic challenges when they enter the career field. The 2020 documentary Picture a Scientist follows several women in different STEM-related careers. The women discuss why they entered into their respective fields, their research interests and some of the challenges they have encountered while working as a scientist. They speak candidly about workplace harassment, lack of institutional support and other barriers, shining a light on some of the harsh realities women face from their fellow colleagues or from professional organizations. Picture a Scientist is available to users through the Himmelfarb Library’s Streaming Video Collection and is worth watching to learn more about the experiences of women in STEM.
International Day of Women & Girls in Science is an important day to draw more women interested in STEM and openly discuss effective strategies to keep women in the field. Having women in STEM positions will provide space for new perspectives and insights into technical and scientific issues currently facing the world.
References:
- National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics. (2023). Diversity and STEM: Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities 2023. https://ncses.nsf.gov/pubs/nsf23315/report
- Pew Research Center. (2021). STEM Jobs See Uneven Progress in Increasing Gender, Racial and Ethnic Diversity. https://www.pewresearch.org/science/2021/04/01/stem-jobs-see-uneven-progress-in-increasing-gender-racial-and-ethnic-diversity/
- United Nations. (n.d.). International Day of Women and Girls in Science, 11 February. https://www.un.org/en/observances/women-and-girls-in-science-day
- United Nations. (2024). Secretary-General’s Message for 2024. https://www.un.org/en/observances/women-and-girls-in-science-day/Messages
- United States Census Bureau. (2021). Women Making Gains in STEM Occupations but Still Underrepresented. https://www.census.gov/library/stories/2021/01/women-making-gains-in-stem-occupations-but-still-underrepresented.html
