Women in Science: Taking Steps To Close the Gender Gap

1 Women in Science: Taking Steps To Close the Gender Gap The Technology Networks Editorial Team Women continue to be underrepresented in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medicine (STEMM). According to a report released by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 2024, approximately one third of scientific researchers are female, and this figure hasn’t seen much variation in the last decade. Despite the obstacles they face, women in STEMM make vital discoveries across the globe every day. Each year, February 11 marks the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, and here at Technology Networks, we want to spotlight women studying and working in STEMM. This listicle contains a selection of interviews from women at various stages of their careers, in which they share information on their research, experiences, opinions, and ideas to inspire the next generation. Was there a particular person or experience that motivated you to choose a career in science? Katrina Charles (KC): I had always loved nature and wanted to work on environmental issues but wasn’t sure which career would be right for me. When I was about 16, I did work experience at Manly Hydraulics Laboratory in Sydney. I got to see beyond the equations and classroom learning, and have a hands-on role in exploring the power of storm surges in wave flume experiments. I loved how they used this diversity of ways to understand the environment and how to manage the risks that the environment poses. Alessandra Devoto (AD): I have always been passionate about nature, and particularly the molecular mechanisms regulating plant responses to the environment. Despite being born and raised in a big city like Rome, I have always dreamt of making a difference by working with plants to help people and the planet! An obvious woman to admire for me is Dr. Barbara McClintock, who won a Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1983 for discovering mobile genetic elements, establishing the grounds for breakthroughs in plant breeding and genetic engineering. Bamidele Farinre (BF): My interest in science really began at a young age. I grew up in a family surrounded by doctors, engineers, and pharmacists, so science was always part of our everyday conversations. But more than anything, I had a genuine passion for helping people—even before I fully understood what careers in STEM looked like. Today, I see my career as proof that even when the path isn’t linear, purpose always finds its way. Listicle WOMEN IN SCIENCE: TAKING STEPS TO CLOSE THE GENDER GAP 2 Katalin Karikó (KK): As a child, I was interested in understanding the wonder of nature that surrounded us. In high school, my biology teacher told me that I could be a scientist, so at age 16, I decided I would be one, although I had never seen a scientist. Nicola Koyama (NK): As a child, I was always fascinated by wildlife documentaries and trying to understand the natural world around us. My aunt was a lab technician and a lover of natural history, and I remember enjoying walks with her in the countryside, identifying plants and looking for fossils. Her encouragement had a major impact on me, my interest in the natural world and my career direction into biological sciences. Heather Pinkett (HP): A transformative undergraduate research experience really cemented my path in science. The summer before my senior year, I worked on a gas phase kinetics project at Colgate University as part of a research team. Unlike the academic year where I was juggling lab work, a work-study job, and classes, that summer allowed me to focus entirely on research. I loved waking up each morning with a plan on how I would tackle my research question and ending the day having proved or disproved some part of my hypothesis. Anne Willis (AW): My mother who gave me my first microscope for my 8th birthday, which sparked my interest in science and biology. Krina Zondervan (KZ): I’ve always been driven by curiosity and attracted to the freedom of doing research, so an academic career was a natural choice. When I started working in women’s health research, the fact that this was such an obvious area of need (plus, of course, that I’m a woman myself) made it a natural choice for me. What barriers exist for women in STEMM, and what could be done to better support them? KC: From school age we still see large gender gaps in participation in physics and maths in the UK, and gender gaps in admission to different university degrees. I faced the most direct discrimination when I became a mother, with one colleague saying he wouldn’t work with me because my first priority should be to my child. To better support women, we need data to systematically track where they are facing barriers in STEMM, and targeted programs to address those barriers that are actually sustained. AD: Women are often mentored but excluded from “informal power networks.” Diversity initiatives need to be evaluated on results and not intentions. Formal mentorship with accountability and transparent sponsorship from leaders actively advocating for women’s promotion, funding, and visibility could bridge the gap! BF: Many women still feel they must work twice as hard to be seen as equally competent, while balancing caregiving responsibilities or societal expectations. To address this, workplaces must embrace flexibility, psychological safety, and inclusive leadership. When women thrive, innovation thrives. And when inclusion is intentional, everyone wins. NK: Careers in science have traditionally been structured around expectations of long working hours and short-notice availability, for example in relation to grant submissions or project deadlines. Such norms can be incompatible with caring responsibilities that continue to be borne disproportionately by women. In addition, I see ways of working around me that often don’t accommodate neurodivergent cognitive styles. This can have a significant impact given that neurodivergence is underdiagnosed in women. Listicle WOMEN IN SCIENCE: TAKING STEPS TO CLOSE THE GENDER GAP 3 Mentoring schemes, while valuable, are voluntary and fall disproportionately on minorities without any acknowledgement of the emotional and labor costs involved. Better recognition of such activities in workload models would help offset the time and effort put into these initiatives. HP: I think women in STEMM face a combination of structural and cultural barriers that build up over time and feed into to the well-know “leaky pipeline,” where the number of women decrease at every academic and professional stage. When we add issues like the pay gap and the disproportionate burden of service work, students look at mentors and find it hard to envision themselves in long-term STEMM careers. There’s a lot institutions can do to dismantle these barriers, including creating policies on equitable pay and fair workload distribution. On a more individual level, mentorship is incredibly important. In my own experience, the number of students who have told me I’m their first female or first Black professor in STEMM is both striking and a reminder of how powerful representation can be. AW: A major issue is that while maternity leave is paid for around 9–12 months (at least in the UK), none of the funders will extend the grant funding by the same period of time. This means that a third or more of project time can be lost. It is hard to get back into the lab after a year out as projects will have moved on, and the large reduction in time strongly affects productivity and output of papers. Moreover, far greater allowances need be made in terms of assessing the outputs of women with small children (or men for that matter if they are the major carer). The impact on scientific outputs of having a child doesn’t stop when maternity leave ends. KZ: Flexibility in a research career in academia can be a bit of a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it can give you more freedom in planning a family and spending time with your children. For example, I’ve pretty much always been able to be there for school events. But on the other hand, it can also be very tough when you’re trying to build a career on a fixed-term contract, with the pressure of publishing high-impact papers and getting grants that demand long hours, which often results in working evenings and weekends. Funders have a key role to play here, in providing flexible support that truly invests in people’s talent and careers. The same support should be extended to men who go on paternity leave, because I do feel that only when childcare responsibilities are expected to be equally shareable between partners, will we come to equality and equity in the workplace, especially in STEMM. What do you enjoy most about your work, and what would you say are your proudest achievements? KC: I enjoy the diversity of my work and the opportunity to learn new things all the time. I use interdisciplinary approaches, drawing on complexity science, to understand problems from different perspectives. And I work with people from a range of different academic disciplines, with people outside academia with different jobs and perspectives, and with students who all teach me new things all the time. AD: What I have enjoyed most throughout my career is combining fundamental discovery with real-world impact and continuously learning new ways to approach complex biological problems. My proudest achievements span different career stages and reflect a consistent focus on producing insights and frameworks that shape understanding and enable others to build on them. Listicle WOMEN IN SCIENCE: TAKING STEPS TO CLOSE THE GENDER GAP 4 BF: What I enjoy most about my work is seeing the tangible impact of my efforts—when someone I’ve mentored steps into their confidence, when young girls start believing they belong in STEMM, and when our collective voices are finally being heard rather than silenced. Those moments remind me that change is happening, one conversation, one breakthrough at a time. KK: Receiving the Nobel Prize is a great honor. When I think about it, I do not focus on my scientific life or struggles. I thought about all the hardworking, talented scientists who are never recognized or awarded. This is why in my Nobel speech I thanked all of them for their contribution. I am most proud of my scientific life, of the fact that I remained the same curious girl who wanted to understand the wonders of nature. NK: The life of an academic is multifaceted involving teaching, admin, and research, and no two days are ever the same, which is great. Being able to conduct research into primate health, behavior, and conservation is why I chose this career and, more than ever, we need to be working towards mitigating anthropogenic impacts and conserving our precious biodiversity. Being in the field and working in remote or beautiful places and escaping the humdrum of the office is a huge motivator for me and feeds my research appetite. It’s often where I get my inspiration from and where I can let my curiosity run wild. HP: What I enjoy most about my work is the freedom to shape my research program and decide which questions are worth pursuing and why. I love introducing new methods into the lab, collaborating across disciplines, and discovering ways that science can contradict or overturn long-held assumptions. I'm proud of the contributions our work on ABC importers has made to the membrane transport community, but my proudest achievements are the people. It is most rewarding to watch trainees grow into confident scientists. There's a moment when they shift from learning the ropes to truly owning their projects as experts. Being part of that transformation is the most meaningful part of what I do. AW: The research from my team has led to new therapeutic directions and drug discovery programs in industry for disease treatment and we have improved the safety profile of new medicines (e.g., mRNA vaccines), all of which have made a real-world difference. However, I am proudest of the fact that I have trained a large number of people who are now successful scientists with their own labs or work in scientific-related areas. The combined work that ex-lab members do to expand this important area of science is a legacy. KZ: I probably like the variety of it most, and the fact that you’re always pushing knowledge boundaries. The best science is team science. My proudest achievements directly relate to this, setting up the first large-scale genetic study into endometriosis in the mid-2000s, and co-founding a global Consortium that contributed and jointly analyzed the data, which has grown to ~30 datasets and studies now. If you could give one piece of advice to a woman considering a career in science, what would you say? KC: You don’t have to fight through the barriers alone. Science is not homogenous, but a myriad of different teaching and learning approaches and management styles. Take the time to consider which community is going to suit you and find mentors within that community who can support you. AD: Above all, stay grounded in integrity, respect, and confidence in yourself. Success in science is not only about results, but about how you work, with curiosity, honesty, and generosity. If you hold onto these principles, you can build a career that is both impactful and deeply fulfilling. Listicle WOMEN IN SCIENCE: TAKING STEPS TO CLOSE THE GENDER GAP 5 BF: If I could give one piece of advice to a woman considering a career in science, it would be to “go for it—unapologetically”. Science needs your voice, your curiosity, and your perspective. The industry evolves because brave women keep showing up and asking, “why not?” even when the odds are stacked against them. KK: You must enjoy your work. No need to choose between career and having children, but when you select to have a family, make sure that your partner is also ready to share the responsibility. Do not over-assist your children. Let them learn how to stand up for themselves. Learn how to handle stress, find time for physical exercise and believe in yourself that with hard work you can achieve your goals. NK: I would say that scientific careers are often not linear, and that there is no right path. Know that support is out there, seek out a mentor you relate to, someone who can provide guidance and support along the way. This could involve reaching out to someone you already know or joining a relevant society or mentorship program. HP: For young scientists, explore as many areas of science as you can through different research experiences, and build a community of scientists who will support you along the way. Science is full of fascinating questions and trying out different fields can help you discover what truly excites you. AW: Focus on your research whatever career stage you are at. If you have children, do not allow yourself to be persuaded to go down the “teaching only” route as it is “easier.” It is hard work, but you can do both and it is a very rewarding and exciting career. KZ: I’d say talk to other women in the role who are doing things you can relate to. And when you’re in it, continue those conversations. Networking is important in any role, but as a woman in science, having a solid network of trusted female colleagues you can bounce ideas off, share experiences with—through the highs and lows—I’ve found really valuable. About the interviewees: Katrina Charles, PhD Katrina Charles’ research focuses on environmental health risks, using interdisciplinary approaches to analyze how we construct our understanding of environmental health risks, and how to communicate those risks to affect change. With her research team and through partnerships with UNICEF and governments, she is leading work on drinking water quality and climate resilience that will help progress towards the Sustainable Development Goal for safe drinking water quality for all (SDG 6.1). Credit: Leia Morrison for The British Journal of Photography × Bodleian Libraries Catalyst Commission. Alessandra Devoto, PhD Alessandra Devoto is a professor of molecular plant biology and director of research in the Department of Biological Sciences at Royal Holloway University of London. Born and educated in Italy, she gained a PhD in plant molecular biology in 1996 at the Sapienza University of Rome and came to the UK in 1997. Her research spans from biochemistry, molecular biology, precision genomics, gene editing, and bioinformatics to plant responses to stress and climate change as well as biotechnological applications for human and plant health and energy production. Credit: Christopher Noade. Listicle WOMEN IN SCIENCE: TAKING STEPS TO CLOSE THE GENDER GAP 6 Bamidele Farinre Bamidele Farinre is a multi-award-winning STEM leader, Chartered Biomedical Scientist, and Certified Agile Project Manager whose journey from early academic setbacks to national and global recognition is a story of resilience, purpose, and transformation. Her professional journey spans laboratory leadership, academia, and project management, with impactful contributions across the healthcare and education sectors. Credit: Bamidele Farinre. Katalin Karikó, PhD Katalin Karikó is a biochemist and researcher, best known for her contributions to mRNA technology and the COVID-19 vaccines. Karikó and Drew Weissman were jointly awarded the 2023 Nobel Prize in Medicine for their discoveries that enabled the modified mRNA technology used in vaccines to prevent COVID-19 infection. Credit: Christopher Michel. Nicola Koyama, PhD Nicola Koyama is an associate professor in primate behavior. Her research focuses on wildlife behavioral flexibility, health, and welfare in response to environmental, social, and anthropogenic factors. She is active in translating institutional policies for diversity and inclusion into actionable strategies for cultural change and recently received awards from John Moores Students' Union, Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU), and LJMU Professional Services for her diversity and inclusion work within and outside the university. Credit: Nicola Koyama. Heather Pinkett, PhD Heather Pinkett is currently a professor in the Department of Molecular Biosciences at Northwestern University. Her research program investigates the structure, function, and regulation of membrane proteins with a particular emphasis on ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters—proteins that use ATP hydrolysis to transport substrates across cellular membranes. Credit: Two Dudes Photo. Anne Willis, OBE, PhD Anne Elizabeth Willis is director of the Medical Research Council (MRC) Toxicology Unit and professor of toxicology at the University of Cambridge. She obtained her PhD from Imperial College, London, working with Dr. Tomas Lindahl at the Imperial Cancer Research Fund Clare Hall Laboratories. In 2017, she was awarded an OBE for services to biomedical sciences and supporting the careers of women scientists. Credit: Sonara Studios, Oakham, Rutland. Krina Zondervan, DPhil Krina Zondervan is a professor of reproductive and genomic epidemiology and the head of the Nuffield Department of Women’s and Reproductive Health at Oxford University. She is also the co-director of the Oxford Endometriosis CaRe Centre, integrating evidence-based clinical care with a program of basic, clinical, and translational research into endometriosis and related women’s health conditions. Her research over the past 30 years has focused on using large-scale genomic and epidemiological approaches to understand the causes of common, under-recognized women’s health conditions to improve diagnostic and treatment options, with a particular focus on endometriosis, pelvic pain, and comorbidities. Credit: Fisher Studios, Oxford. Listicle