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International Day of Women and Girls in Science
On 11 February, the International Day of Women and Girls in Science took place. Members of the Science Europe Governing Board spoke out in support of gender equality in the research system.
Started in 2015 by the United Nations, the International Day of Women and Girls in Science highlights and celebrates the role of women and girls in research with the goal of inspiring and engaging others, and improving gender equality in the scientific environment.
Science Europe and many of its Member Organisations, as well as other research organisations and stakeholders, spoke out in support of women and girls in research on the day. Members of the Science Europe Governing Board provided statements to support gender equality and diversity, which were shared in a Science Europe Twitter thread.
Many Member Organisations also highlighted examples and projects of the women researchers they fund or employ. The Luxembourg Research Foundation (FNR) launched ‘Be Brave’, a series of short videos to celebrate the many paths of women in science and inspire girls into science. UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) set up ‘101 Jobs that Change the World’, a Youtube playlist of interviews with women with a role in science. The National Science Centre of Poland (NCN) did not just celebrate a Day of Women and Girls in Science, but spent the entire week highlighting the achievements of their women grantees.
Mariya Gabriel, Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth, called on European citizens to celebrate the remarkable achievements of leading women scientists in Europe and explained how the European Commission is stepping up efforts to increase women and girls’ participation in research and innovation. The latest She Figures 2021 showed that women are still underrepresented as doctoral graduates in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
